The Tiny Series 2: A Boy Called Shadow
by CynderBlue
Summary: Darren drove the gods away for a steep price. Now he will deal with finally merged powers and the headaches that come with them, Mr. Tiny who hasn't gone through punishment and a new threat that endangers magic itself. Darren will have to create a new identity for himself and outwit two of the most powerful people on the planet. But who is really outsmarting who?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cirque Du Freak. (This counts for the entire story)**

**A.N.  
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**If you haven't read the first story: s/10223546/1/The-Tiny-Series-1-Destiny-Rejected Then I suggest you go read that first. **

**I am going to answer more reviews now, so throw questions at me! But I won't answer them if they spoil the story ;)  
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**Deathbright: **Thank you! Your review made my day :3 I hope you like the sequel just as much.**  
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**Obviouslyincognito: **I was sad to kill off Larten again too. But it had to be done. Vampire Mountain will be awesome lol.

**Guest: **One God came down to deal with Darren and the Cirque. There are multiple gods and most of them are not very pleasant but one or two have different views on things.

**Ansy:** Even though the gods act like they make up the rules, magic has it's own laws. And they are set in the very fabric of magic. There was a loophole that allowed Darren to erase his friends memories and the gods can't touch them due to that. It is a law that only the gods have to follow.

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The harsh smell of antiseptic invaded my nostrils, making them twitch. In the next moment I came alive, twisting in the metal bands encircling my torso, ankles and wrists until my hand bloodied. I lay on a cold, metal slab of steel in a room with no doors and mirrors surrounding me on all sides. I was naked and an IV came out from the back of my left hand; I tried to stretch and bite it out but the cuffs were too tight. The next horrible thing came with the realization I had wings still. And they were pulled uncomfortably taut on two stands on either side of the metal table.

"Subject #2. Male, species unknown, age unknown." a brisk female voice said from somewhere over my shoulder. She was in a different room and I guessed she and another person were standing behind the one way mirror. Her voice was indifferent, even robotic. "On a strict IV regime. Past history shows signs of aggressiveness and his power levels are off the charts."

A strong scent of aftershave came through a gap in the wall and its male owner responded. "Let me in." His tone was dripping with greed. I could hear him shifting something in his grip and then the door clicked open. He entered behind me and I didn't bother to try and twist around to see the man. Instead I inhaled and gathered as much information as I could before he came face to face with me. Male. Mid forties to early fifties. Well groomed with expensive hair products. Terminally ill. I paused and sniffed again. _Cancer_. I wasn't good enough yet to tell what kind but I knew that the man had months at best. I wasn't trying to reach for my magic. I could feel the dragon dozing on the skin of my stomach and guessed the IV drugs were to keep my magic still.

"What is your name?" The man sounded kind enough, but his eyes betrayed him. He was like the Mr. Tiny I had known before and the resemblance was creepy. I had just enough magic to know that he definitely wasn't Mr. Tiny in disguise, but if I didn't know better I would have said they were brothers.

I scrambled for a possible answer, and then settled on one that had the least number of flaws. For now I would cooperate with the idiot. "I don't know." My name was of no importance to him.

The man grabbed a fist full of my hair and raised my head up before slamming it onto the table. My jaw crunched and I saw stars before he let go. "I will only ask one more time. What is your name?" His voice was smooth as silk and very sad; as if I was making him do this to me. Again my head was raised up and slammed back down and I tasted blood on my tongue. Disturbingly it tasted good; but since it had been who knows how long since I had last drunk, anything would be nice.

"I can't remember!" I hissed and adopted a panicked expression. "Listen I don't want to hurt anyone. I think there was an accident. I don't know who you are or what you want but I haven't done anything!"

The man stepped back and smoothed down his silk suit, pacing back and forth. He looked undecided and then nodded to the mirrors. The woman entered with a cup of water and he took it; pouring the delicious cold liquid into my mouth. Some trickled down my chin and dripped onto the metal, sliding to where the cuffs met table. The second the water met my skin the dragon twitched its tail and I shuddered along with it. My bond with water had strengthened it seemed; enough to overcome man made drugs.

"My name is Harrison," the man said and pulled the cup away only when I had drained it. The pulse beating in his neck was steady and I imagined sinking my fangs into it and draining the man dry. My stomach rumbled.

"Nice to meet you," I said sarcastically. The water pulled into my skin and I flexed my hands in the cuffs, testing the metal gingerly. The dragon raised his blue head and crept forward a few inches, testing the air with his tongue. My wings shivered in the bonds and I flexed them slightly, surprised at the amount of magical residue that existed in them.

Harrison slowly reached into his silk pocket and pulled out an ornate dagger, striding over to me. He rested the blade on my cheek, gently flicking my ear with the tip and smiled; exposing two rows of perfect teeth. "You will tell me everything you know about Vampires." His face was twisted into a furious, demanding, needy expression and I almost, _almost _pitied him.

"I told you I-"

"Oh, maybe you are telling me the truth…" Harrison purred and twisted the knife again, resting it at the base of my throat. "But pain can be an excellent stimulant for the brain. Perhaps you will remember. Or maybe you won't and your body will be the next I throw away."

With a furious yell I yanked on the cuffs and tore them free with a sickening sound of grinding metal. I couldn't free my legs but I reached out and wrapped my hands around Harrison's throat and squeezed. His face quickly turned purple but the madman raised his hand calmly and the dripping sound from the IV quickened until it was faster then a ticking clock. The world blurred and my hands relaxed. They thudded back down and I blinked fuzzily.

"They told me you responded when given water," Harrison commented, rubbing at his bruised throat. "But seeing the results in person are much more informative." He raised his hand again after wiping away the excess water and the IV drip slowed. "I don't want you to be a drooling idiot during questioning," he explained, as if I cared to know. "Perhaps we can become friends. Your power greatly interests me and I would be happy to help you in anything you desire," his face hardened. "If you cooperate."

I bared my fangs and looked up at him with ice blue eyes. "I will rip you apart and string your guts across the countryside."

Besides a slight spike of anger in his scent Harrison showed no outward signs of anger; he rolled up his sleeves and rubbed his hands together. He picked the dagger up off the floor where it had fallen in my bid for freedom and studied the blade tenderly. "How did you fly?" He mused, leaving my field of view to study my wings. "Your flight feathers aren't even fully grown yet." The dagger trailed over my wings and I stiffened, trying to arch away from Harrison fruitlessly.

I could have told Harrison that sheer magic had held me up, but decided that he wasn't worth any scrap of information. Besides I was keeping up the pretense of having no memory. Another idea came to me and I smiled inwardly. "Listen to me," I said carefully, putting as much helpless fear into my voice as I could. "I don't know what's happened. I think I am a monster."

The dagger paused and for a moment I thought I had gotten through to him but then Harrison leaned over and his stinky breath filled my nose as he whispered into my ear. "That's right. You're a monster. My pet monster." His chuckle wasn't at all pleasant. "Drop the act boy," he sneered. "I can see the sheer power in your eyes and your urge to kill. You are the perfect predator, even if you don't realize it yourself." Then to my astonishment he reached over and unscrewed the bonds, allowing me complete freedom. He unlatched my wings from the stands and grabbed a shabby outfit for me to wear before helping me out of the room and down a dim hallway. He pulled the IV stand along with one hand, tapping his hand on my shoulder blade in time with the drugs flowing into my veins.

We passed hardly anyone in the hallway and those we did quickly adopted submissive expressions upon seeing Harrison. But when they looked at me their faces went curiously blank and I couldn't get any reading off them besides respect and slight fear. I could feel the water flowing in pipes in the walls, but while I was drugged there was no hope of bursting the pipes and escaping. I hardly had the energy to stand upright as it was and the dragon slept on.

Harrison pushed open a set of double doors and I blinked in the sudden light. We stood in a huge dome, at least half a mile long and the inside was made up to look like a wilderness. Trees stretched up to the glass roof where I could see electricity sparking along an intricate network of wires along the ceiling and walls. The only exception was the doors but they were steel with key pads. Animals slunk along the forest floor; I could see a raccoon, deer and even a wolf. All of them wore thin metal bands around their necks. "It pleases you, I can tell," Harrison said and nodded to my wings which were fluttering lightly even in the still air.

I narrowed my eyes. It did please me, but probably not for the reasons Harrison was thinking. Bringing me to a big open space such as this, with water and enough room to fly was idiotic. One way or another I would find a chink in their armor and use it.

The IV was abruptly pulled out and Harrison let me fall to the ground. I stared up at him as four heavily muscled men and one woman marched toward me. They stepped on my wings and I howled at them, but a knee was pushed into my chest and I shut up before I was badly injured. The woman crouched over me and pulled out a collar similar to the ones the animals wore. But this one was thicker and had a red number two engraved in the side. A set of wires, a needle and small container of liquid was inside and it was clear it was designed to go into my neck. A thick substance dripped from it, in the consistency of honey.

Harrison appeared over one mans shoulder and peered down at me. "You won't feel the needle. The numbing agent takes care of that. The medicine is a concentrated version of what I've been giving you. Only one drop an hour and you will have complete movement," his face twisted into a mocking grin. "Without the strength and power you normally possess of course." He held up a remote control with a small dial on the front. "If you do not come when I call I will electrocute you, which would be very painful." He thumbed the dial and sighed. "If I am forced to turn the dial all the way it will knock you out and I will be very angry."

I glared hatefully but still couldn't muster enough strength to move.

"Put it on him," Harrison ordered.

The metal collar was lowered toward my throat and along with it three sets of hands. One pair around my head to keep me still and the other two to guide the needle in and snap the collar shut. True to his word, Harrison was right. I did not feel the needle. The collar was cold and tight enough that I panicked for before figuring out I could breathe properly. The collar clicked shut and I lunged at the woman, closing my hands around her arm before she could jump backward and sank my fangs into her wrist. Hot blood poured into my mouth and I gulped down several swallows before the other men pulled me backward and threw me to the ground. I stared up at them challengingly, blood from my fangs and fear scent poured off their bodies.

"Add blood to his diet," Harrison said carelessly and snapped the woman cradling her bleeding wrist. "Go clean yourself up and stop sniveling!" He turned back to me and with one hand pulled me upright. I swayed slightly, but already the drugs previous effects were fading. The world wasn't spinning anymore and I could move relatively steady. "Now spread those wings little dragon." He stepped back, clearly waiting for something.

I stared and then growled under my breath. He wanted me unfold my wings and walk off with the collar around my throat like a wounded animal. I gave Harrison a contemptuous glance and kept my wings deliberately folded before stalking off into the long grass. My collar suddenly lit up and I was down on the ground. The shocking pain had only been for a split second but it was enough to knock the breath out of my body. When I could sit up Harrison was gone, the metal door swinging shut behind him.

Hours later with every inch of the dome explored and mapped out I knew enough about the place for a lifetime. A creek meandered through the dome, going out one side and coming in through the other. The entire place was forest except for the small clearing where Harrison had brought me in. The other animals steered well clear of me but I caught several glimpses of the wolf through the trees before it ran away. The air was cool and fresh and I found several powerful fans in the walls that kept the air moving. I'd climbed the tallest tree early on and managed to get a good look at outside the dome. Wherever we were it was in a desert and the place was a huge network of smaller tunnels, domes and windowless stone buildings not connected to anything. People had been running back and forth from building to building and inside tunnels through doors too tiny to see without magic.

For the first hour I'd let anger rule me and I had torn through the forest with fury, tearing apart plants and gouging trees. Drugs couldn't steal the long nails a vampire naturally had. But after my initial anger I settled down and began to plan. I would have to memorize schedules: feeding time, and if Harrison's calls had any natural pattern. I had already identified two weak spots in the dome; the electrified ceiling and the steel doors. If I got my powers back, even a little bit either option would fall. Strength would take care of the doors. But the ceiling was preferable. If I used a little magic to lift the water in the creek up I could short out the wires, smash through the bullet proof glass and fly away. But first my flight feathers would have to finish growing. The third option I barely considered was to somehow let Mr. Tiny know I was here; but that was next to impossible unless I got magic back and roared. But I wouldn't waste time on that when I could just simply escape and I had no way of knowing if Mr. Tiny would kill me on sight.

I settled on the tallest tree overlooking the clearing, preparing for a vigil to last well into the night. The collar itched but I ignored it, fixing my glowing blue eyes on the steel door. "You have no idea what you're getting into Harrison," I purred and wrapped my wings around myself as the dome cooled down. Below the she-wolf curled into a small ball, her green eyes looking up at me with curiosity.

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**R&amp;R Please? *passes out cake***


	2. Chapter 2- Desperate Times

**A.N.**

**Deathbright**: The actual size will be revealed in the next chapter. The size kept changing before because he was still "merging" now it has settled.

**obviouslyincognito: **There will be some old characters for sure! As for Darren and Mr. Tiny it says in book #12 that Mr. Tiny would never harm his flesh and blood, so Darren has that. But Mr. Tiny did say he could make their lives difficult lol But also Mr. Tiny likes complicated things and since Darren is supposed to be dead that might be enough of a puzzle to keep him "happy"...maybe.

**Ansy:** lol! I'm glad you enjoyed the cake.

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I crouched on one knee in front of Harrison, looking up at him through my bangs while silently cursing the man to hell. This was the eleventh time in two days he had called me and each time I debated not answering; but the cons of not obeying the call were far too many. Each time I walked into the clearing or jumped from a tree Harrison smirked in satisfaction. This time he let me stay poised below him for far too long before finally gesturing for me to get up. He circled me three times, running a finger down my still growing flight feathers. The touch made me shudder and I subtly twitched away. I was waiting for the questions and certain pain Harrison had promised, but so far he was doing nothing but examining me multiple times a day. The fifth time he'd called he had laughed at me coming out of the trees drenched from the creek. I had foolishly thought that the water was clear and as a result bathed in the concentrated drugs, swallowing plenty of it before hauling myself out of the water. I'd nearly drowned and that disturbed me.

"Who is Subject number 1?" I questioned.

"What makes you think there is another?" Harrison responded. He was in a usually good mood this morning. One of his hands shot up and forced my head down as he examined the drugs remaining in my collar.

"I am number 2, its simple math to think there is a number 1," I said somewhat defiantly.

Harrison shook his head and put his thumb on the dial. "Tut, tut," he said. "You were getting so good." The dial was twisted to number three and I screamed, hands flying up as if I could rip the collar off. I stayed standing however, refusing to fall as electricity coursed up and down my spine, making my arms and legs jerk. The dial moved again to five which was the furthest it had ever gone and I finally went down, thrashing in the dirt. Harrison switched the dial off and pursed his lips. "You are right. There is a number 1." He sat beside me and wiped drool off my chin. "He looks a bit like Frankenstein's monster, but much shorter," he wrinkled his noise. "If you can even call it a he."

I twitched violently, managing to force out another question. "Does he speak?" My words hung in the air and I waited for Harrisons response. A Little Person was here. I would have laughed if the pain had been a little less. Mr. Tiny did not tolerate anybody harming his Little People.

"Yes," Harrison said distastefully. "But he utters little more then curse words." His gaze sharpened. "Why do you ask?" Before he even reached for the dial in his pocket I was speaking, eager to avoid another round of pain.

"Frankenstein's monster had a maker," I rasped. "Don't you think subject number one's creator will be angry you took him away?"

Harrison grabbed the front of my red shirt and held my head up. "Do you remember something?" He hissed.

I let my eyes glaze over as if the electricity had taken my senses. "You have no idea what's coming," I said.

"Enlighten me," Harrison spat.

I cleared my expression and met my captors gaze. "A dragon." I laughed loudly, letting spit fly and my eyes rolled. "He will burn you to the ground!" My hand came up and clasped around Harrison's forearm. "You'd better run while you still can," I said ominously. My eyes rolled back and I went limp, pretending to faint. The scents coming off Harrison were different then any I'd gotten from him before. They were gratifying. Doubt, wariness and a poorly hidden twinge of fear. Harrison released me and my head thumped to the ground. The man stood up and stalked away through the steel doors and I lay on the ground, suffering through the last side effects of being repeatedly electrocuted. I rolled over slowly and forced my protesting muscles to carry me through the tall grass. Each foot felt like miles but I kept on until I was out of sight of the door.

Harkat was captive too and I wondered if there were still more besides him and I. How many others were being forced into experiments? That's all this place was. I was in a giant testing chamber, being watched and catalogued. Every movement went into a folder and then onto graphs. I had already been too predictable, making my rounds every hour. If I wanted to get out of here I had to be erratic.

I waited until the electricity twitching faded completely and then got up. I sat cross legged in front of a tree and watched as the she-wolf melted out of the trees to watch me. The wolf was the one thing I could not work out in the dome. The collar looked exactly the same as mine, but I couldn't tell if there were drugs inside. I doubted they would need to drug a wolf anyway. The she-wolf was suspicious and never let me get very close, but she was always around and normally after Harrison and I met would appear from whatever secret spot she'd found to sit with me until the pain was gone.

"Hello," I said to the wolf and kept my movements slow when I stretched out my legs, wincing as cramped muscles pulled. "Harrison was mad this morning. It was stupid to think he was in a better mood."

The wolf whined and pawed the ground. Her scent was agitated, more so then it normally was.

"I found out there is at least one other captive here," I said, idly fingering the collar. Then I froze and mentally smacked myself on the forehead. "They made a mistake," I whispered to the wolf and she crept a little closer, tail swaying from side to side. "My wings, eyes and fangs are a part of me now. It's not magic to have them." I grinned mischievously. "But having hyper senses is magic." I leaned forward and the wolf did too, until our noses almost touched. "I can smell emotions and hear things no vampire can. They made a mistake!" I threw my hands into the air, which made the she-wolf startle backwards. "They made a mistake!" I tugged on the collar. "Somewhere in that drug they missed something." I looked at my hands and leaned back against the tree, reaching for the magic. It slipped through my fingers like always and I huffed.

"How long do you think we have until Frankenstein's creator comes?" I wondered out loud. I was sure there were cameras all over the place and I could not loose the pretense of having little to no memory.

The wolf suddenly stood up straight and her eyes brightened. For the first time the wolf looked almost cheerful and she bounded off into the trees, leaving me even more confused. But inside I echoed the wolf. I had something to use against Harrison; his fear of the unknown. I would keep feeding him what I could about Mr. Tiny until he cowered. I grinned and climbed up into a tree, intending to catch a good night sleep.

I only slept a few hours, hanging over a branch in the tallest tree which had quickly become my base of sorts. When I awoke the moon was high in the sky. It was a three-quarter moon, just a sliver before it was full. I wondered what had woken me up and touched the collar. Whenever Harrison called he always shocked me but there was no lingering pain so I knew that wasn't it. I looked around, brushing aside the smaller branches and saw what had woken me up. A small patrol of men were coming through the woods, carrying nets and a stretcher. They disappeared through the trees and I heard the she-wolf let out a whine of pain. I almost went down to the ground but before I moved the men reappeared; the wolf was stretched out on the stretcher. A line of dried blood stained her flank and her eyes were dull.

The patrol went through the steel door and I sat back on my heels. The she-wolf's injuries had been at least an hour old. Where ever the men had taken her, it was probably to be healed. I smiled calculatingly then groaned. If I wanted to be taken out I would have to actually hurt myself. I looked at the ground and then up at the dome ceiling. I wanted to do something that would look horrible but I could recover from relatively quickly and it had to look like a complete accident to the on looking cameras.

"Come on…" I muttered and licked my lips nervously. "Think." I looked at the ceiling again and winced and began to climb. My hands were sweaty and I slipped several times, nearly falling to the ground. That would have done enough damage, but I would rather be able to walk in a few hours. When I reached the top, close enough to reach out and touch the glass and electrified metal blocking it I pretended to loose complete control. I shouted at the moon and slammed my palms against the metal; shocks went up my spine but I latched onto the wire and curled my hands around it. Pain like nothing Harrison had done shot into my head and I screamed. My body jerked and I found I couldn't let go of the wire. My shirt began to smoke and then the wire broke under my fingertips; I plummeted down and bounced off one, two branches before slamming to a stop halfway down. My wings curled around me, singed and I blinked before going limp over the branch. Bit by bit I let my body slide where it was hung over and barely a minute passed before the metal door slammed open.

The men climbed up the tree and lowered me down and put me onto the stretcher none too gently. We marched toward the steel door and my lips curled upward even as I shook frenziedly. When the door opened I saw Harrison through half open eyes. He was standing outside dressed in a night robe. He took a cursory glance at me and scowled. "What happened?" He demanded.

"He went crazy sir," one of the men in front said. "Grabbed the wires up top and nearly killed himself."

Harrison bent down over the stretcher and touched my burnt wings. His eyes were hard and over the smell of burnt feathers I could scent him trying to work out what I was doing. "You aren't stupid enough to do this for no reason," he said. When I did nothing but shake he frowned. "Or maybe the drugs are having unpredicted side effects." He stood up and addressed a woman that had come up behind me. It was the same woman I had bitten. "Lower the dosage."

"Sir, that would too high of a risk. He is already near the minimum dosage. To take away even more-"  
"Silence!" Harrison barked. "I will not allow him to die when I am this close to unlocking everything!" His eyes went over me again and then he scowled. "Take him to the infirmary. Lock the entire thing down and put an IV in. I want him well in two days for questioning."

"What about subject one and ten?"

"Leave them there. Prevent them from interacting," Harrison said simply and strode away into a side tunnel.

The stretcher started to move and I closed my eyes, committing the twists and turns to memory. I could hear the gurgle of water in pipes deep in the walls and cracked open an eyelid to see with some surprise that not all of the walls were finished. In some places the pipes were completely exposed, except for torn canvas clumsily put up with nails. In fact the entire main tunnel was not complete except for the floor which looked cleaner then anything else in the place. The tiles were so clean I could almost make out the reflections of the men carrying the stretcher in them when I turned my head.

We turned down another tunnel that was so small my wingtips brushed against them even though they were mostly folded. Outstretched my wings were about fifteen feet across. Two sets of wooden doors and then we were in a pristine white room with beds lining the walls. It would looked like a normal hospital room; if it wasn't for the straps hanging from each of the beds and the nurses who wore bullet proof vests and had cattle prods strapped to their belts. Only two beds were filled at the other end of the room; one with a young woman. She was screaming as she tried to fight the strait jacket she was tied in. An IV line came out of her neck. When she saw me her body stilled and she tilted her head.

"The moon has that one," one of the men muttered and they all laughed.

Harkat was in the bed across from the one they carried me to. Bandages covered his arms and legs and blood dotted his clothing. One eye was swollen shut but when he saw me his expression mellowed from enraged to horrified then excited. His mouth opened and I willed him not to reveal he knew me. Wisely his mouth shut, but his eyes glittered. He was wearing lots of ropes to keep him still but no IV came out of his neck.

"Put him in on high security," the men ordered the nurses and they put me onto the bed. Straps wrapped around my ankles, knees, thighs, waist and wrists. They removed the collar but immediately put an IV in. "Lowest dosage possible." The stretcher and men left immediately and the nurses went to work.

I lay passive but eyed the nurses while running my tongue over my fangs. They put another IV bag up and the line went into the back of my hand; whatever the medicine was it stopped my shaking but left me feeling like I would float away. The nurses left to station themselves by the other door and I looked back at Harkat. Now that I had more time to look at him better, I saw that he looked downright horrible. His arms were dotted with half healed wounds, all running where his stitches were. Then I noticed that the thread holding him together was different on that arm. My stomach rolled when I figured out what must have happened. They'd taken out whatever Mr. Tiny used to make his Little People and replaced it with common string. I hoped Harkat had been unconscious when it happened.

Harkat gave me the same once over and his eyes kept going back to my fangs, wings and eyes. One of his eyebrows rose up but he said nothing. His eyes were shining with more hope then I'd seen when I came in. I offered him a slow wink and the Little Person winked back. It hurt but I knew to keep Mr. Tiny's fury to a minimum even my friends would have to be fooled into thinking I knew nothing. I leaned back into the hospital bed and watched Harkat who seemed to be waiting for something. The ticking of a clock from somewhere in the distance was distracting and my hands tapped on the bed. When the clock struck ten I let myself fall into an uneasy sleep, awakening often when the nurses changed shifts.

At five in the morning I woke up completely to the sound of Harkat screaming. Nurses were crowded around his bed, holding his head still as they plucked at his other arm where Mr. Tinys' thread was still intact. I thrashed my head and screamed too; a howl that let some of the dragon out. The low growl swept through the hospital, and all the nurses paused. "Touch him again," I hissed. "I dare you." The beds began to rattle and I forced the magic to come to me. I couldn't quite grasp it enough to free myself but the depth of my fury could be conveyed. When the beds began to lift off the floor the nurses scowled and two stalked over to me, unsheathing their cattle prods. One prod was thrust at my chest and I shook, back arching. My lips remained closed; I would not scream and give them the satisfaction.

"I wouldn't do that," Harkat said through gritted teeth.

The nurses sneered and doubled the pressure on my chest. The shocking was enough to jar loose the little hold I had on the magic and the beds stilled completely.

"He is in here for nearly killing himself with electricity. Harrison wants him healed soon and I don't think you are helping."

Finally the agonizing pain stopped and the nurses left to once again stand by the door, abandoning Harkat too. A single tear ran down my cheek and tied down as I was I could not wipe it away. Harkat met my eyes and I could see the fresh pain and horror in his gaze too. I wondered how Harkat knew what I'd done, but had no energy to question it. Every day spent here was slowly sapping my energy. I had to make a move in the next two or three days, otherwise I might never get out.

"He is coming," Harkat said.

"Who?" I asked.

Harkat pursed his lips and said innocently. "The Dragon Master." I could tell he wanted to ask what had happened with my voice and the beds but he too seemed to have little strength for pointless questions.

"What?" I said again.

But Harkat didn't reply. He rattled the sides of his bed and shouted manically at the nurses. "DO YOU HEAR ME? HE IS COMING!" Spit flew from his mouth and the nurses turned away from him. "HE WILL BURN YOU ALL! YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS! NONE OF YOU!"

I closed my eyes, sinking into the darkness that was riddled with Harkats insane cries. I would rest, gather my strength and take back my freedom along with Harkats. I imagined tearing into the nurses and scattering their bodies before Harrison and doing the exact same thing to him, but much, much slower.

My lips curled upward and the dragon stretched. '_Soon'_ I promised it and remembering Steve's words echoed him. '_Soon there will be bloody, bloody chaos_.'

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**R&amp;R please? *throws candy bars***


	3. Chapter 3- The Shadow In His Heart

**A.N. I know I said the size of Darrens dragon would be told this chapter, but it didn't work out that way. In the next one or two chapters it will be revealed I promise!**

**obviouslyincognito:** They will probably pop up at some point. I haven't decided if they will play a big or small role yet though.

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The distinct sound of Harrisons footsteps marching up the hospital floor was enough to rouse me from a very unsatisfying sleep. Harkat hadn't paused in his screams for more then three hours and while I had succeeded in driving the nurses off both of us, they kept giving me gleeful looks that I didn't like. Harrison stopped at the foot of my bed and conferred with the nurses who looked unhappy but gave me a clean bill of health. I didn't feel healthy. I had lost too much weight and every time the nurses went for their cattle prods, even though I knew they wouldn't use them I flinched.

Harrison undid the bonds, allowing me to stand. I was wobbly at first but quickly regained my footing. He pinched something in my collar and removed the IV in my hand. "The nurses told me about your little stunt with the beds," Harrison said, his face mask like. "We are keeping you on the lower dosage still, however there will be consequences."

I exchanged a worried look with Harkat before Harrison grabbed me by the elbow and led me away. We went back down the half made tunnels and I debated lunging for the water pipes, but seeing Harrison's hand already on the dial in his pocket made me keep going straight. I could smell anticipation rolling off Harrison and it made me sick. "Why did you do that to Subject One?" I asked coldly.

"Silence," Harrison barked. The veins in his neck were popping out and my stomach growled. The nurses hadn't given me blood while I was in there and it was getting harder and harder not to lunge at Harrison, even if I knew what the punishment would be. "I am very disappointed in you Subject Two." He smirked. "But thanks to both you and Subject One, I know that whoever created Subject One must be connected to both of you."

"All I know is he will destroy this place," I said. "Nothing but rubble will be left." I needed to scare Harrison and remind him of what exactly he had in a collar, but I had to wait for the perfect moment.

We turned down a new tunnel that was much smaller and darker then the others. My wings were crunched uncomfortably at my side and Harrison kept me from folding them. By the time we reached the end of it, several feathers were bent. Harrison shoved me in and I blinked until my eyes adjusted to the darkness. It was a windowless cement cell with nothing inside but a filthy blanket, a small hole in the floor and two bowls. The door was painted dark green, but chipping paint revealed the metal underneath. A slat in the door would let anyone look inside and a flap on the bottom let things be set inside.

"These will be your new quarters," Harrison said and smiled. "But first." He dragged me out of the cell and hauled me into the room next door. I tried to run but my drugged body was locked in cuffs on the wall before I took a step. My ankles were next and my body hung uncomfortably. My feet didn't touch the floor and my weight hung heavily on my shoulders. Harrison clipped my wings to a different set of straps, stretching them so far out I groaned in pain. "You were going to be my masterpiece," Harrison said and rolled up his sleeves. "The perfect predator, trained in combat and assassination. You would have rid the world of the filth." He pursed his lips. "I thought that the dragon in you would have brought out the monster, but I was wrong." Harrison sighed woefully and leaned in close, going on tiptoes to whisper in my ear. "I will break your body and mind and then rebuild you."

I twisted in the cuffs, snarling. "You can't break a dragon," My eyes flashed. "They only get angrier."

Harrison laughed and revealed the inside of his jacket. Various knives and devices were strapped to the silk. He pulled out a long dagger, similar to the one he had greeted me with and sliced off my shirt. "Perhaps," he said and smirked. "But I know you are very young. If I had an old one maybe then I would not succeed. But you feel more then the others. Love, sorrow," the knife cut into my skin, trailing a bloody line down my side and I clamped my lips together. "Pain."

I bared my fangs and growled but Harrison quickly sliced a new cut down my shoulder and the sound turned into a muffled grunt. I would not give him the satisfaction of screaming. As my blood trickled down my stomach Harrison grabbed a small vial and pressed it against my skin. My blood dripped into the container and when it was only half full Harrison pulled it away and capped the vial.

"Does it bother you to be used like this?" Harrison asked and deftly twisted the knife.

I arched and banged my head against the wall. "Go to hell," I snapped.

Harrison smiled. "Defiance will get you nowhere."

The blade danced across my skin, drawing blood wherever it went. Throughout it all I stared at Harrison, my eyes boring into his skull. The veins in his neck pulsed steadily and I licked my lips. The bloodlust was very distracting and with the smell of my blood in the air it was enough to drown out the pain.

Harrison stopped only a few minutes later and got out a towel. He wiped the blood off my body and quirked his lips. "Are you ready to talk?" He asked.

"_Come here_…" I whispered invitingly. My head was tilted slightly, eyes glazed over with hunger. My words had taken on a different tone, and they hung in the air, resonating with power.

My prey took one step forward and then another. His head reached up toward mine and I shuddered when his jugular came almost within biting reach. "_Let me tell you…everything_," I said slyly and was rewarded with a few inches of movement closer. My fangs clacked shut on open air when the man pulled backward abruptly. I keened with disappointment and thrashed in the cuffs.

"That was close," my prey said conversationally. "They didn't feed you properly did they? He pinched the bridge of his nose and then spoke into an earpiece I hadn't noticed before. "Send someone in here," he ordered, then looked back up at me. "I can't work with you like this," he explained as if I cared. Only seconds passed before a short man entered. "He wants to tell you something," my prey said to the nervous man and stepped back so he was leaning against the wall.

My attention snapped to the newcomer and I once again licked my lips. The other man leaning against the wall had an interested gleam in his eyes. His veins still looked delicious but the newest arrival was much closer to me. He shuffled closer and I decided that one was the much better prey.

"Sir?" The prey asked uncertainly.

"Listen to him," the other man said.

"_Come here little human," _I purred.

The prey stumbled forward a few feet and then stopped. His head was below my chin and I growled irritably. "_Grab my chains and pull yourself up." _ Now the prey's throat was in reach and I bared my fangs amiably. _"_Thank you._" _

"F-For what?" the prey asked.

"Your life," I said and sank my fangs into the side of the preys throat. Hot blood gushed into my mouth and I let out a pleased sound. The preys hands shook on the chains but he had wrapped himself in them tight enough that his body wouldn't shake loose. I drank my fill and pulled my fangs free; rattling the chains so the mans body fell free and crumpled onto the floor. Energy rushed through my body and I snapped back into reality. I stared horrorstruck at the man I'd killed. The blood settled in my stomach and, licking my lips to clean them I realized that the man had been drinking recently.

Harrison clapped slowly and nudged the corpse out of the way. His eyes shone. "I didn't think you had it in you," he said proudly. He touched my skin and grinned. "The dragon is closer to the surface then I thought." He pulled out the knife again. "This will be easy." He leaned forward and smirked. "And now you have no blood hunger getting in the way of feeling everything I do to you."

I couldn't stop the pained moan when Harrison cut into my ribs.

"You see I figured out long ago that the young of your kind is too sensitive. They break far too easily." Harrison paused with the knife still in my skin and frowned thoughtfully. "The werewolf always gave in when we hurt her while shifted. Sadly my men took it too far and she is a ruined project." The knife moved again and I shuddered. "And as a young dragon, I see no difference in you."

"We are at the top of the food chain," I sniped. "And you are at the bottom."

Harrison shrugged. "Yet who is chained to the wall?" He drove the knife a little deeper and I screamed before biting my lip to staunch the sound. With sudden tenderness Harrison trailed the knife along my arm and paused at the place wing met shoulder. My whole body tensed. "Your feathers are finally grown," Harrison said. "It's a pity really."

"What-" The knife slashed into my wings, slicing through feathers and fragile muscles. My body shook violently and I opened my mouth but all the air was gone. Another blow across the same wing, severing my flight feathers in half brought my breath back in a sudden rush. After that all I could do was scream.

I sat in the tiny cell with my forehead pressed against the wall so hard bits of cement were grinding into my skin, causing specks of blood to stain the wall. Every so often my fingers would tap irregularly on my knee, but only once or twice then the movement would shudder to a stop. Bowls of food and water sat by the door, a few stacked on top of each from days of deliveries. All of them remained untouched. I had not moved from my place on the wall in three days, only stirring when the guards' hands stuck through the flap to drop bowls and even that was only to turn my head a wings were ruined. They hung like two shredded flags behind me; covered in blood, dirt and vomit. One flight feather that Harrison had kept intact hung in front of my eyes, pinned to the wall by a nail. The tip of it was stained red. My wings no longer shone in brilliant blues. They were flat and dull; but the feather on the wall still flickered. Harrison had been right: young dragons were remarkably easy to destroy. I had nothing left; no will to escape. Just pain. I hadn't heard Harkat in the tunnels next to my cell and hoped that meant he had been spared my treatment. Harrison dropped by almost every day, but each time he spoke to me I stared blankly, blocking out his words. Even when he shocked me I writhed on the floor silently. After that he only came to refill the drugs in my collar, which I let him do easily. The dragon had fallen asleep on my back and I made no effort to awaken it. I supposed Harrison was unhappy he had succeeded in breaking me, but I cared little.

The flap opened and for the second time that day a bowl of filthy water and a strange hunk of meat was dropped through. I ignored it like usual, but eyed the veins in the guards hands with some interest. I was hungry, but had no energy to pursue the free meal sticking its body in my cage.

"Come on dragon," the guard said and waggled his fingers teasingly. I couldn't see his face but the scent pouring off him was mocking. "Bite me you little bugger." When I did nothing the guard laughed loudly, causing my head to pound. "Harrison did a number on you! I heard it worked so well that he's thinking of putting Subject One through it too."

My head twitched slightly further then it had in days. My eyes narrowed and my lips pulled back slowly to show the very tips of my fangs. _Harkat… _Mr. Tiny had showed no sign of coming to rescue the Little Person. I no longer cared about my own fate, but the prospect of Harrison planning death or torture for Harkat was enough to stir the little will I had left.

"I know you can hear me freak," the guard said. "Harrison was so proud when he caught you. He boasted for weeks about how you were going to be the perfect predator. It turns out you are too weak to take a little punishment."

I whipped my hand out and it collided with the bowls of food and water. The dishes hit the wall, sending water and food flying everywhere. Several drops of liquid hit me on the cheek and slid down. I flinched when they hit and my fingers drifted up to catch the drops when they fell off my chin. I rolled the water on my hand and then watched as they sunk into the soft pads of my fingertips. My head tilted and I chuckled. The sound was not at all human and the hand sticking through the flap stopped its teasing movements. I picked up the dishes and licked the water drops out of them, then crawled on the floor and licked the water off it before moving onto the walls. By then my self control was gone and I merely rubbed my upper body onto the walls; Harrison had decided I no longer needed a shirt when he'd thrown me in. The delicious clean, _drug free_ water soaked into my skin like drops of pure energy.

I stood up and placed my hand on the steel door. The guard had stood up as well and I could imagine him facing me on the other side. "Harrison was right," I said. "I am a predator. You will never see or hear me coming. Your guts will be across the floor before you even blink. He told me a lot of things while he cut up my wings. How dragons are lonely, angry, feral monsters. He may be very well true about all of these things." My eyes narrowed into slits. "But we are also exceedingly loyal to those who earn our trust." The door groaned on its hinges and then was blasted backward. The guard was crushed against the opposite wall. I took one step out of the cell and then another. "All of you are going to die," I purred to the dead guard. On my back the dragon spread his wings and I smiled.

I threw back my head and roared. The sound echoed through the tunnels at the same time the ground began to shake. "Here he comes," I sang as men poured into my tunnel. I skipped a couple steps and bowed to the confused guards. "Welcome gentlemen," I said, exposing one pearly white fang. "Who would like to die first?" _'Subject One, I am coming for you,' _I I lacked the will to fight for my freedom then I would fight for Harkats. With a flash of ocean blue eyes I leapt forward; my wings fluttering behind me. The screams that rang up and down the corridor seconds later only began to staunch the flood of rage.

It was only when I stood in the middle of a pile of bodies that I figured out what my purpose would be. A killer. An avenger. I would take retribution for those who could not. And in the process I would bring my own vengeance upon everyone in this damned place.

"Who…are…you…?" one of the guards I had previously thought was dead croaked.

I debated for only a moment. "My name is Shadow." I put a finger to my lips and smiled. "Don't tell anyone." Then I turned and walked down the tunnel, following the rumbling ground. My name would give Mr. Tiny hope and remind me to never become what he wanted. The darkness in my heart was growing every day and in that cell I I'd cracked the lid on exactly the monster I feared to become.

I grabbed a mask off the guard and pulled it over my face. It would not do for Mr. Tiny to find out who I was so early in the game. I smiled under the black cloth and waltzed down the corridor, hiding my broken wings in a cloak of illusion. A shout down the corridor made me take a larger step then I meant to and I stumbled around the next turn.

"GET OFF HIM!" I shouted.

* * *

***hands out buckets of Twizzlers* R&amp;R please?**


	4. Chapter 4- Mr Destiny

**A.N. **

**Sorry this chapter took so long to get up! I kept changing things. **

* * *

I didn't get the chance to take a step toward Harkat before the ground split apart. Great cracks in the earth ripped through the tunnel and I found myself falling headfirst into one when it opened right beneath my feet. I reached out and sought for a handhold as I fell; dust had gotten into my eyes and blinded me. I grabbed a pipe sticking out from the ground and hit the side of the fissure painfully. My wounds from Harrison's tender care had not yet finished healing and I felt several scabs break open on my stomach. Drops of blood fell from my chest and down into the darkness. Even as I struggled to climb back up my mind whirred, discarding the original plan I'd had to deal with Mr. Tiny. A new one was forming and I liked it only slightly better then the old, but it involved less acting.

The next handhold was another pipe at least two feet up. My fingers slipped on the rock and went over a sharp piece of metal embedded in the debris. I cried out and pulled back sharply, hanging by only one hand. A gash had been sliced across four of my fingers, right on my second knuckle. I winced but reached up again and grabbed the pipe, trying to get a good grip despite the blood wetting my hand. The initial energy from escaping was swiftly wearing off and I needed more water. The collar had released another dose into my system and the dragon was almost asleep. I had just enough magic to hold the illusions, but I doubted that would last long. I put my feet on a tiny ledge and sucked in a breath, wiping my eyes with the back of my blood free hand. Instead of helping I smeared even more dirt on my face.

"Darren!" Harkats pain filled scream was almost right above me and then it faded away abruptly.

I shouted back at him and reached up, seeking another pipe. I found one and scrambled up another few feet. My new plan was just as dangerous, maybe even more so because it involved Mr. Tiny knowing exactly who I was from the start, but in the long run I thought it would keep him more interested. He knew that magical creatures only were kept here. He would also know that the collars would only be put on those with powers to be kept in check. I would keep up the pretense of not remembering anything, but also refuse to be called Darren and insist on Shadow. I would lead him along with the idea of me having some sort of power and also keep the act of a slightly darker persona going.

"Where are you?" Harkat shouted.

"Down here!" I coughed. Seconds later a body fell past me and into the void. It was a guard and his terror filled face faded out of sight quickly. When another man fell I snaked out a hand and grabbed him on the arm, almost loosing my balance on the spot I stood when his weight yanked me backward. The guard looked relieved, then confused when I swiftly undid his shirt and pulled it off. Then with a derisive sniff I let him fall, pulling the shirt on me and buttoning it. The rough fabric was hard on my injuries but it was better then Mr. Tiny seeing the dragon before I could wake it up fully and send it under my jeans. Even that would be a problem. The dragon had grown and now it was almost three feet long, not counting tail. It had to wrap in an awkward spiral formation to fit on my leg.

"How did you manage that?" Harkat asked and his face poked over the side of the crack.

"It opened up right under my feet," I said dryly.

Harkat looked over his shoulder and then back down at me. "All of the cracks stayed away from me," he said. He looked back again and then sighed. "More guards are coming. I can't take them all."

"Help me up," I said quickly and held out a hand toward Harkat. More scabs cracked when I did so and I winced.

Harkat wriggled out over the edge and reached down. Our fingertips brushed but I was still too far and there were no more pipes for me to climb up. Harkat slid even further so his entire upper body was over the edge and grabbed my wrist. But now he was stuck; unable to get leverage to pull himself up. I tried to shove him backwards a few inches but lost my balance in the process and fell. Harkat didn't let go and we both toppled into the abyss. I barely managed to grab a piece of rock and we stopped falling. Now we were at least thirty feet from the top and the guards footsteps were approaching quickly.

"Maybe they won't see us," Harkat whispered. He was holding onto another rock at least a foot below me.

I nodded and flattened myself into the rock. I could tell at least two of the guards were bleeding but the other four were in perfect condition. My illusions were so perfect that I simply didn't have fangs, but I wanted to rip into their necks even without them. I had also painted over my swirling blue eyes and turned them pale green.

Six heads poked over the side of the crack and I groaned silently.

"Hello boys," one of the guards said gleefully. His companions on each side of him were the injured ones and I licked my lips. "Why don't we lower a rope and you climb up nice and easy?"

"He can't," Harkat said and pointed at me. "He's injured from what Harrison did."

"Then he can fall," the guard said disdainfully.

"I can climb if I have too," I whispered down to Harkat. "The blood hunger is making me stronger then I would be under these conditions."

"I thought they fed you?" Harkat asked confused. "It should take at least a month for that to happen."

"Not for whatever I am," I explained. "I need to feed every couple days. Blood hunger starts after three."

"Ok," Harkat said and his eyes narrowed calculatingly. "How can I make you stronger?"

"Ask me what I would do up there," I hissed.

Harkat nodded and shouted up. "Lower the rope!" Then he climbed up so he was level with my left ear and started to speak softly. "You are hungry Darren."

"Shadow," I said automatically. "My name is Shadow."

Harkat hesitated then swallowed and continued. "Alright….Shadow. What would you do to sate your hunger?"

I bared non existent fangs. "Kill."

"How are you going to get up there?"

"Climb," I hissed hungrily.

"And then what?"

"Rip out their throats," I purred. "Feed…"

The rope fell between us and Harkat grabbed on, tying it around his waist. "Then climb with me and feed Shadow!"

My head turned and I looked at him with dark eyes. "Yes…" I looked up at the six guards and licked my lips. "Hungry." I stretched out my gashed hand and began to climb, digging my nails into the rock. I stayed right behind Harkat, pressing my body into the rock like a spider while he splayed out his body to hide me from the guards sight; all had withdrawn from the edge to help pull Harkat up but one and he was directly above Harkat. The moment Harkat was tugged over the edge the last guard pulled back and I waited, the top of my head inches from the top.

"Shadow sate your hunger!" Harkat howled.

I sprang over the edge, bowling over the guard who was trying to force Harkat down the tunnel. I momentarily paused at him, sniffing his throat before moving on. He wasn't the injured one. Normally hunting would have been preferable, but this time I wanted a quick and easy meal. Besides he had told me to fall and I wanted to put an end to his life slower. I was upon the two injured prey in moments; one had their arm in a bloody wrap while the other had their head swathed in bandages. I turned on the bloody one and ripped his sling off ruthlessly, exposing a nasty gash that was still bleeding. I licked his arm, purring when the blood rolled down my tongue. The human tried to flee but I held him down with one hand on his chest and cleaned his arm. I decided that while the illusions were helpful, I did not need one over my fangs. The second my illusion fell, I abandoned the arm and pulled the prey around so his neck was within biting reach.

"Shadow!" Harkat called from far away.

I growled in annoyance and forced the prey's head back so his throbbing veins were exposed.

"SHADOW!" Harkat roared.

I looked up and paused. Harkat was standing in front of another man. Not a guard that was for sure. Not Harrison either. He wore a bright yellow suit and green rain boots and a pair of spectacles that framed cunning eyes. A crimson, heart shaped watch was in his right hand, and it glowed faintly. The man bent down to whisper something in Harkats ear and then stepped out from behind the Little Person and strode toward me. The closer he got the more riled up I became until I snarled at him defiantly and pulled my prey away from him. This seemed to annoy the man because he frowned and his watch glowed a little brighter.

"Stop," Harkat pleaded. "He's just hungry."

The little man pulled back and held up his hands.

When I was sure that the stranger was not going to steal my food I bared my fangs and sank them deep into the preys neck. It squealed loudly and twisted but I held on until it stilled. It was hard to drink with the mask on and I pulled it off thoughtlessly before returning to the ruined meals neck. This time the blood flowed into my mouth easily and I gulped blood down desperately, uncaring of the extra staining my chin, neck and stolen shirt. When there was nothing left to get out of the body I pulled back and twisted around to Harkat and the man. When I faced them the man froze and then scowled. His hands lit up and he took one step toward me, face darkening. All the air was sucked out of the tunnel and my hands flew to my throat, trying to pull in oxygen that wasn't there.

"Wait!" Harkat yelped and latched onto the mans arm, trying to pull him back. "He doesn't remember anything!"

This gave the man pause and he turned his head slowly to stare down Harkat.

Harkat babbled on, spewing out the rest of what he had to say so fast I was surprised the stranger understood him. "He woke up here with me. Both of us have been stuck here. I don't know why they wanted him, or what is up with the fangs. He doesn't even remember his name! He didn't know me. All I know about him now is he…he wants to be called Shadow."

The glowing in the mans hands subsided somewhat but he still looked annoyed.

I wiped my mouth and then blinked. I was finally back in my right head but didn't know if it was a good idea to admit that with Mr. Tiny so close to mental unbalance. Then again he was always like that. My own insanity seemed to be waylaying Mr. Tiny's anger though.

"Will you come with us?" Harkat asked me.

I stared at him with suspicious eyes and tossed aside the dead guard, straightening up to my full height. I hid my fangs again and crossed my arms, flicking my eyes toward the exit. All of a sudden going with the pair and dealing with Mr. Tiny's distrust and hate for who knows how long seemed unappealing. I wanted to run out and find out what I was really capable of. On the other hand I was tired, bleeding and wanted a roof over my head that didn't involve being electrocuted.

"Why?" I rasped.

"Because I am your friend," Harkat said. When that didn't seem to be a good enough reason he continued. "You need medical care and sleep. We are in the middle of a desert and I don't think you would make it out of here."

The tunnel shifted suddenly and pipes popped out of place. Another man rounded the corner and almost fell into the same crack that had almost claimed Harkat and I. _Harrison_. Harkat and I turned on him with equal hatred and ran at him, uncaring of the consequences. Halfway down the tunnel Harrison pulled out a dial. I stopped dead and so did Harkat.

"Subject One and Two," Harrison said and sighed dramatically. "You both have been quite the nuisance."

"Good," Harkat and I said together.

Harrison rubbed the dial and pursed his lips. Then he looked past us and spotted Mr. Tiny standing where we had left him. "Who is that?" He asked curiously.

Mr. Tiny walked up the tunnel until he was directly behind me, but did not give a response.

"Is he like you?" Harrison asked me.

"I don't know," I said. "I can't remember."

Harrison's face twisted angrily. "Again and again we do this Subject Two."

My entire body was tensed in preparation of the collar coming to life. "You didn't break me," I spat. "I got free."

"But you are broken!" Harrison crowed. He pointed wildly at us and danced from foot to foot. "Both of you would have been my perfect creations!"

I rolled my eyes.

"I already have a creator," Harkat said flatly.

"Come with me," Harrison said, ignoring Harkat. "Now."  
"No," Harkat said.

"Come now or I will kill your friend!" Harrison twisted the dial abruptly and I was down on the ground flailing violently. A scream broke free and then I couldn't stop. "I took everything from him! Don't think I won't take his life!"

Harkat went down on his hands and knees, trying to get the collar off but it was firmly locked in place. "Stop it!" He shouted desperately. "STOP IT! He hasn't done anything wrong!"

"He wronged me when he refused to bow!" Harrison yelled. His speech was becoming garbled and I wondered if it was him or if my hearing was starting to go. Harkat was practically sitting on me to keep my body from twitching into one of the cracks. "He wouldn't become mine!" Harrison screamed. "If he won't fly for me then he will never fly!"

My body arched and my voice broke. Spots danced in my vision and I started to go into shock. My heart was beating to erratically and I couldn't breathe. I wheezed loudly. Then another pair of hands was at my throat. I tried to pull them off before they could strangle me but my jumping muscles just sent them in the wrong direction. The collar snapped in two and the mind numbing pain stopped. Mr. Tiny was crouching beside me with the collar in two pieces; one half in each glowing hand. He was studying the needle with interest, touching the tip.

I lay on the ground, covered in dirt and blood from my newly broken open wounds and stared at the ceiling. Harkat was trying to get me upright but I lacked the energy to force my still twitching body into submission. Mr. Tiny grabbed me by the collar and pulled me upright with one hand, and for the first time spoke.

"You had to put this much drug in a half vampire to keep him subdued?" He sounded just like the old Mr. Tiny: creepily polite with an undercurrent of darkness that kept you wary.

Harrison snorted. "A vampire he may be, but he has something else in that blood of his." He smiled furtively. "Fought like a dragon that one."

The hand on my collar tightened a fraction then loosened, and then Mr. Tiny turned around and walked away, dragging me along. Harkat followed at his heels protesting.

"Why did you let him live?" The Little Person asked, frustrated.

"He interests me," Mr. Tiny said blandly.

Harkat scowled but followed without protest as we walked into the desert. We walked until the moon hovered in the sky, the first stars popping out. Harkat was trailing behind, his feet dragging through the sand in exhaustion. My body was equally tired, but I would have preferred to walk instead of being carried like a misbehaving puppy. Every time I tried to get my feet underneath me Mr. Tiny shook me warningly. The shocks that went through my abused body were enough to keep me still for awhile. We stopped in the shelter of two huge sand dunes, and Mr. Tiny sat me down rather roughly and started a campsite before I could blink. Harkat slumped down and leaned against the sand, uncaring of the stuff sliding down the back of his robes. Mr. Tiny's mood was swiftly returning to its previous state and I decided to revert back to the feral state I'd been in when he first showed up. For some reason it seemed to calm the man.

Mr. Tiny set up a simple tent with a flick of his fingers and entered. Harkat helped drag me inside and I gaped when we entered the flap. The inside was huge. Huge fluffy rugs decorated the floors and plush furniture dotted the outskirts of the room. A fireplace was at the back half of the tent, and on other side was a huge old fashioned stove. I retreated to a corner with a big rug that was so soft I wanted to fall asleep right then even with Mr. Tiny pacing around the tent. I staked out the rug as my territory and much to the amusement of Harkat, who was sprawled out in a huge armchair growled at Mr. Tiny whenever he approached my corner. Astoundingly Mr. Tiny only seemed to get slightly irritated at this, settling on eyeing me speculatively. Somehow going into a simpler state halted the magician's anger, but it also reduced me to possibly making bad choices. At least I was aware of who everyone was.

After both of us was quiet Mr. Tiny made up a gigantic bowl of soup and handed out large helpings. He set mine just outside the rug and I felt a thrill of victory. I grabbed the bowl and hunched over in the corner with my arm wrapped around it protectively. I used the spoon for a few mouthfuls then abandoned it when I couldn't get enough food in my mouth at one time. Instead I tilted the bowl and swallowed the soup down in one go, nearly blistering my throat in the process. Harkat was doing nearly the same in his chair and when I lowered the bowl he had a ring of soup around his mouth. By the look on his face I knew I had the same problem.

"If you are quite done go and clean yourselves," Mr. Tiny said and pointed at a shower in the corner I hadn't noticed before. It was surrounded by screens for privacy and clean clothes were hung over the racks. Fresh robes for Harkat and a complete outfit for me. Harkat and I exchanged looks, silently warring over who would go first.

"Darren go," Mr. Tiny said after nearly a minute of silence.

I decided not to antagonize him and quickly hopped over to the shower and got in. It took several minutes to get the layers of dirt and blood off my skin and hair. When I got out I felt ten pounds lighter and pulled on my new clothes; sending the dragon down to my leg. The water had not only washed away the pain lingering from the electricity but it had partially healed my wounds and awoken the magic. The cuts on my hands were completely gone and the ones from Harrison were scabbed over again. I scurried back over to my rug and Harkat got in. He took even longer then I did and I thought with some glee about the sand he'd let down his robes.

"Sleep," Mr. Tiny said and gave Harkat a blanket. He once again set the item down just outside my rug and I stared at for a long time.

Finally I made up my mind and turned my back on the blanket. I lay down at the edge of the rug and rolled it over myself, turning over and over until I was wrapped securely in the rug. There was momentary silence and then Harkats laughter echoed in the tent.

"You look like a burrito!" He chortled.

I huffed indignantly and burrowed deeper into the rug until none of my body could be seen. "At least I don't look like a mushroom," I muttered.

"Burrito!" Harkat retorted.

"Mushroom!"

Something hit the top of my rug and I knew Harkat had thrown a pillow at me. I smirked and snuck a hand out of my rug; searching for a pillow of my own. When I couldn't find one I stuck my head outside and came face to face with Mr. Tiny. He held the pillow and was looking at me with exasperation. I stared at him, trying to decide if he really had thrown the pillow or if Harkat had and Mr. Tiny had merely picked it up. Now I could do the obvious thing and retreat, or do something idiotic. I opted for the latter and snatched the pillow from him, withdrawing back into the rug; using the pillow to plug the hole and sighed happily. When instant death did not rain upon me I grinned and snuggled into the softness.

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**Writing 'evil' Mr. Tiny is hard, but I love writing his interactions with Darren. It makes me laugh xD**

**R&amp;R please? :D **


	5. Chapter 5- Prelude to Trouble

A.N.

**DeathBright**: He is acting like he has absolutely no memory.

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Someone was shaking me hard. I tried to shove them off and slip back into the restful sleep I'd been having but a slap across the face brought me to life and I lashed out at my attacker. I sent Harkat reeling backwards into the sand before seeing it was him. His eyes were wide and a crazed expression had settled on his face. I held up my hands pleadingly, in case I had done something to enrage him. Harkat looked confused then shook his head and gestured around him wildly.

"He's gone!" Harkat cried and kicked the ground, sending a flurry of sand into the air.

I stood up, all sleepiness gone in an instant and turned in a slow circle. The tent had vanished and Mr. Tiny was nowhere to be seen. We had nothing; no food, water or weapons. Not even shoes. "How long were we asleep?" I questioned.

"I'm not sure, but the sun was setting when we first arrived here so at least a day," Harkat said. He was right. Behind him the sun was low on the horizon.

"Why would he leave?" I asked desperately.

"Maybe you made him angry," Harkat said in frustration. "You shouldn't have provoked him!"

"Me?" I said furiously. "I didn't do anything!"

Harkat threw up his hands. "Mr. Tiny is not one to fool with _Shadow. _ He can and will let us die if we make him mad. That's probably what he is doing now! We have no supplies and who knows how big this desert is! We don't even know what continent we're on!" Harkat pushed me backwards and unprepared I fell into the sand. "I don't believe you can't remember anything. Maybe you don't want to admit it. Maybe something happened. But you have to be lying."

I pushed myself upright and stalked over to Harkat, grabbing the front of his robes. I had to convince the Little Person first. If I couldn't reason with him I would never convince Mr. Tiny. "I can't remember anything," I said firmly. "Nothing. Not my name, my parents, or if I had siblings. I don't know where I grew up, what my life was like or even how I became like this! I didn't even know my name until you called me Darren." I sighed and released Harkat, shaking my head in exasperation. "Yet I still know how to dress myself, and do everything a normal human would do to get around in life. I can still fight too. But I don't know what my preferred weapons are, or if I even had one in the first place."

Harkat groaned and put his head in his hands. "I was hoping you were lying. I thought you were suspicious of Mr. Tiny or something."

"No," I said. "I'm sorry. I can't be the person you knew before if I don't remember what he was like."

A short silence followed then Harkat held out his hand. "I hope I can get to know you then Shadow."

"Me too," I said and clapped Harkat on the back.

After gaining our bearings with the setting sun the best we could we started toward the sunset, trudging over sharp rocks and past cactus that cast grotesque shadows on the ground. In the distance huge formations of rock spiraled into the sky. By the time the moon had been up for nearly two hours both of us were shivering. My limbs were close to numb and I rubbed my arms to keep the blood circulating. I felt sluggish and kept stumbling over random rocks, nearly walking face first into a cactus several times. Though Harkat had on thick robes he was faring little better.

"I guess we know what season it is," I stammered through chattering teeth.

"Winter," Harkat agreed. He had put the hood of his robes up and I could see his breath clouding in the air. "The desert only gets…. this cold then."

"M-maybe he wanted us to f-freeze," I said.

Harkat said nothing in response.

The longer we walked the harder it was to keep moving. We both knew if we stopped even for a second, if we let our bodies' fall we would fall asleep and die. I could no longer feel my fingers or toes and I had already forgotten what it was like to have a nose or ears. I stuck my arms inside my shirt to try and conserve any heat I could but all that did was send more chills up my torso when my fingers touched skin. I brushed alongside one of the rock formations and tripped, falling to my knees. My eyes fluttered closed for a second then I forced them open, allowing Harkat to help me up before wobbling along.

"Wh-why didn't we freeze w-with Mr. Ti-tiny," I wondered out loud.

"He was probably…shielding us…from…the…cold," Harkat wheezed. Instead of his teeth chattering he was reverting to the same slow speech he'd had when I first met him.

Whether it was minutes or hours later I did not know, but the sound of engines made me look up from the hard stare I'd been giving the ground. I turned sluggishly and opened my mouth to let out a joyful croak, but clamped my blue lips shut. Six dune buggies were racing across the desert toward us, and if it wasn't for the men holding guns I would have thought they were night thrill seekers. I exchanged a look with Harkat and he grimaced.

"I think…you…were wrong in…your assumption," Harkat said. "Mr. Tiny…would think…freezing is…boring…watching us…be shot…would be much more…interesting…to him."

"L-lovely," I muttered. "Hide."

The nearest rock tower was close and it had a small niche in it just big enough to stuff our bodies inside. The hiding spot was only about six feet off the ground but it was hard to force our frozen bodies inside. We ended up tangled around each other and I knew there would be no more running. My head thumped against the rock and I closed my eyes, sliding a hand under my shirt to brush the top of the dragons head. It was still active, but barely. Harkat and I took turns pinching each other as the dune buggies came closer. After awhile Harkat snorted and shook his head.

"Stop…pinching me," he said wearily. "Can't…feel…it."

I laid my numb hand down and peered out of the crack. The buggies were about fifty feet away now and closing fast. There were two men to each buggy and all of them looked dressed for the weather. Another sound from behind the rock and out of sight made Harkat stir. In my distraction I hadn't even noticed his eyes had closed. Another vehicle was approaching and it sounded bigger then the buggies. I strained to see through the darkness, digging my nails into my palm to keep awake. A black jeep zipped past us, sending up a cloud of dust so close I coughed on it. The dune buggies split apart to intercept it and I saw a chance.

"C-come o-on," I said and nudged Harkat roughly.

We slid out of the crack, landing on our backs on the ground. I stared up at the moon, dazed at how large it looked and smiled. Freezing wasn't such a bad way to go after all. In fact I wasn't cold at all; I was warm, so warm I might have been running a temperature. I struggled to get my shirt off, but my fingers were too numb to work the buttons. Harkat had slightly more luck then I did; the top half of his robes were already off and he looked deliriously happy.

"W-wait," I said lethargically. "N-not ri-right." Was I supposed to take my clothes off? I couldn't remember anymore.

"…look," Harkat slurred and I lifted my chin a fraction to see the black jeep skid around and turn back. Half the buggies were in smoking ruin and the other half flew toward us at break neck speed. I sunk my nails into the rock and got into a sitting position. The dragons last bit of heat spread into my chest and I wobbled upright. I grabbed Harkats hand and tried to tug him along, but he suddenly seemed to weigh a ton. I managed to get him about a foot before falling to my knees again. The dragons' heat vanished and I tilted sideways, falling across Harkats' prone body. The warmth was back and I embraced it; looking longingly at the niche we had hidden in. My eyes slid half shut and the buggies skidded to a stop around us. But before the men had a chance to even aim their guns the jeep slammed into them, sending the buggies into a flying heap of metal.

When everything was still the jeep stopped and the drivers' door opened. A pair of green rain boots hit the ground and started toward us. Harkat took one shuddering breath and then lay still. I sucked in a breath of my own and my eyes drifted away from the boots that were still coming closer and stared at the stars until they filled my entire field of view. My breath sailed out of my chest and I didn't try to take in another; content to drift away. A face appeared in my eyesight, blocking out the beautiful sky. I wanted to curse the face aside, and made an effort to do so but I had no air. My eyes shut at the same time my lips were pulled back, exposing my fangs. Something rested against them and then sank down. Hot, delicious liquid flowed into my mouth and burned in my mouth until I swallowed reflexively. The blood raced through my veins until I felt like I would burst into flame. My chest moved and I sucked in a breath, clamping my mouth down harder on whatever was feeding me. But the meal was pulled away much sooner then I would have liked and I whined unhappily.

"Hush," a male voice said sternly.

I opened my eyes and stared into Mr. Tiny's face. One hand glowing hand each rested on Harkat and I, and even as I watched two holes in his wrist healed. His heart shaped watch was floating in the air between all three of us, its hands moving immeasurably fast. It wasn't any of that which bothered me. It was the fact that Mr. Tiny was smiling. A smile that threatened to burst off his face and fly away into the night. I looked back at the place I'd punctured with my fangs and shuddered. While Mr. Tiny might have thought the movement was from the last bit of cold leaving my body, it was really for a much different reason. Whenever something caused Mr. Tiny to smile, it meant nothing but trouble.

Mr. Tiny saw my eyes were open and if possible his mouth curved even further. I was the reason he was so happy. Again I looked to where I'd fed from him and gulped. I had drunk blood from his wrist, and tied myself to him irreversibly, in a way I had no idea the consequences of. Instead of showing my fear I growled at the man and narrowed my eyes hatefully.

"You left," I snarled.

Mr. Tiny's expression returned to normalcy and he arched an eyebrow. "I had business that did not involve babysitting." He sniffed. "It was unfortunate your protection failed so quickly." But his scent gave away that what happened went exactly as planned.

I struggled to get out from under the meddlers glowing hand but was pushed back. "I feel fine," I lied. "Let me go."

"No, Shadow." Mr. Tiny said frankly. "I don't think I am ever going to let you go." Again the disturbing smile returned and he grabbed his watch out of the air. The hands twisted around each other and I stared at them dazedly, sinking into the surface of the watch until I fell unconscious.

I took a piece of toast in each hand and studied the food shrewdly, sniffing the buttery bread before taking a bite and letting out a sound of appreciation. Harkat stared at me for almost an entire minute, like he expected me to fall over dead or burst into flames. When I did neither he took some toast and shoved half a piece in his mouth at once.

"Any idea how long Mr. Tiny has been gone?" Harkat asked when his mouth was empty enough to talk.

I sniffed the air, trying to work around the heavy butter scent and shrugged. "At least a few hours, but probably more. At least we have the tent this time." I grabbed another set of toast and watched with some bemusement as the plate refilled itself with an even higher stack of bread.

"So now you can tell me how you shook those beds in the hospital," Harkat said and leaned forward expectantly.

I froze mid chew and frowned. "How do you know it was me?"

Harkat sighed. "Because your eyes were glowing. Or maybe it was the set of fangs and the wings that gave it away?" He shrugged and snatched more toast. "Either way I know you are something different and since you obviously don't want Mr. Tiny to know, this is the perfect time to tell me what you are while he's gone."

I weighed the pros and cons of telling Harkat what I could "remember" and shook my head. "I don't know much," I said and stuffed toast into my mouth to buy some time. Outside the tent I could see a strip of light and smell gasoline, fast food and sweaty humans. Somehow we were camped in the middle of a city and nobody was barging in to ask why a tent was sitting on the sidewalk.

"You don't know, or you won't tell me?" Harkat asked. "Because I know Mr. Tiny didn't put anything in the shower water. You healed on your own."

I paled and gripped the chairs armrests hard. "Yes I am something else. I still need blood though and I have little control over exactly what happens. Sometimes I can direct it, but most of the time…" I trailed off meaningfully. "What happened in the hospital wasn't planned. I wanted the nurses to leave you alone but I didn't mean for the beds to do that." I actually wasn't sure of my control over the magic yet. I was barely back to full health and wouldn't know how unbalanced my magic was until the last drugs left my system, which would be about the end of the day. "You can't tell anyone," I said vehemently. "Especially not Mr. Tiny."

"My lips are sealed," Harkat said grinning.

We finished eating quickly and the plate vanished. The rest of the morning we spent exploring the tent, which I quickly found was a lot bigger then I had thought. Multiple zippers were on the walls and besides the one that led to the bedroom, a bathroom and the one going outside none would budge. The kitchen was also filled with locked cupboards and I debated taking one of the knives, but Harkat talked me out of it; saying that if we were going to be exploring the city being found armed was not a good way to start. The rug I'd slept on before was still in the same place, and amazingly rolled up with the pillow sitting next to it. The entire tent was outlandishly decorated and the longer Harkat and I looked around the stranger things got. Sculptures no bigger then my thumbnail ran along the back of the four-poster bed and when I got closer to see what they were I saw they depicted a man turning into a wolf. Even as I looked at them I thought that the wolf turned its head to stare me down and I left the bedroom slightly disturbed. Harkat found what looked like a sword rack but all two slots were empty so he lost interest quickly and wandered away. The sides of the wooden rack were carved with two dragons, one that looked like Mr. Tiny's and another like Evannas'.

I traced the dragons' heads and a surge of energy ran up my arm so fast I yanked my hand back and rubbed my hand. On the bottom of the stand a third dragon appeared, feathered and arching its back with playful slyness and a third sword rack appeared. Right away I knew what the rack was for; the swords Mr. Tiny, Evanna and I had fought the Shadow Lord with. They had been lost after the battle and I wondered if they had been destroyed, or merely relocated in my wave of magic. My hand itched and I longed to have the weapon back in my hands. I stepped away from the rack and hoped Mr. Tiny wouldn't pay too much attention to the additions. A leather bag that looked eerily like the one I owned before sat by the tent door and I opened it with Harkat peering over my shoulder. Inside was a wallet, two smart phones and a necklace with a note attached. I handed the necklace and note to Harkat and turned on the phones.

"The note says the necklace is for me," Harkat said doubtfully. He turned the necklace over in his hands. It was plain; a round stone with a silver chain. To Harkats' eyes that's all he would see, but to me the entire thing glowed crimson.

The phones already had two numbers each in them. One phone had Darren and Mr. Tiny, while the other had Harkat and Mr. Tiny. I handed the first phone to Harkat and stared at him in shock.

Harkat didn't look like a Little Person anymore. He looked like a normal teenager, about my height with blue eyes and cropped blond hair. He wore ripped jeans and a red T-shirt, along with a backpack and a pair of heavy duty boots.

"Look in the mirror," I suggested and the resulting gasp made me laugh.

"I'm a real boy!" Harkat crowed and jumped up and down.

I laughed harder and swung the bag over my shoulder, tucking the wallet and phone into my pocket. Overnight Mr. Tiny had also left me a pair of jeans and a black hoodie. I was glad; I didn't feel like going out in sweatpants and a giant shirt.

"Let's go," Harkat said, jumping from foot to foot.

"Alright Pinocchio," I said smirking and unzipped the tent.

We stepped outside and nearly crashed into Mr. Tiny who was waiting for us on the sidewalk, leaning against a pole. "Hello gentlemen," he said and raked his eyes over us assessing our condition. His eyes lingered where my fangs would have been, but I had finally figured out how to hide them with great difficulty and an hour in the mirror.

Skyscrapers loomed above us and humans brushed by, walking right through the tent like it wasn't even there. The sheer noise and volume of scents was a bit overwhelming and I shook my head to clear it.

Mr. Tiny dramatically swept out his hand. "Welcome to Las Vegas."

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**R&amp;R please?**


	6. Chapter 6- Hunger

The city spread out around us, a maze of scent trails belonging to humans and "others". The sheer size, noise and activity was almost overwhelming and I shook my head to clear it before tuning back in to what Mr. Tiny was saying.

"Before we go our separate ways," the man said. "We will go out for a proper lunch." He started to walk up the street without looking back and I followed, stumbling around humans.

My stomach muscles hurt from being taut and anxious. I had awoken multiple times throughout the night due to nightmares of varying things. The starring figures were almost always Mr. Tiny forcing his bleeding wrist toward my mouth or Harrison clasping the collar around my throat, drawing the dial out of his pocket with a wicked smirk. My body had been so hot I feared I was sick and my limbs, while shaky felt like they could have lifted a hundred tons. At three in the morning I'd finally given up on any sleep after vomiting rather spectacularly in the bathroom; I would have fled into the night for fresh air, but I hadn't wanted to alert Mr. Tiny and returned to bed. At one point I was sure I had been sleepwalking because I'd found two gold trinkets tucked under my pillow. They were up my sleeve because I hadn't had a chance to put them back without Mr. Tiny noticing. On top of all that I didn't know how many days we'd been asleep, which was a problem because I had no idea how long I'd gone without blood. A vague itching in the back of my throat told me I was hungry, but I didn't feel like ripping out any throats yet which was a plus.

We settled on a slightly rundown place, sitting in a red colored booth. Unfortunately the red shade was closer to crimson then I would have liked and I kept staring into space over Mr. Tiny's shoulder; drowning in the blood color. When the waiter came, I absently noted she had long black hair and her eyes were brilliant violet. The pulse in her neck beat steadily and I had to tear my eyes away to order cherry soda. Mr. Tiny ordered white wine and Harkat settled on coke. I opened the menu and scanned it, gripping my knee under the table.

"I was hoping we could discuss the events that brought us together," Mr. Tiny said, closing his menu after barely a minute of studying it.

Harkat and I tensed and I leaned further over the menu, trying to appear occupied with the side dishes. The waiter came back and placed our drinks in front of us. Mr. Tiny told her to come back in five minutes and she left. I picked up the soda and sipped at it; the sugary liquid rushed into my mouth and my fangs popped out to suck it down. I drank the entire glass before setting the cup down on the table with a louder thump then intended.

"What about them?" Harkat asked uneasily.

"Everything," Mr. Tiny said, looking between us.

I swallowed hard and fidgeted in my seat. The idea of explaining what had happened there made me want to bring up every ounce of cherry soda. Even if I could spin a slightly alternate story to keep my magic secret I would still have to keep most of it the same. "There isn't much to tell," I said tentatively. Next to me Harkat looked like he was thinking the same thing I was.

"Harkat was there for several days," Mr. Tiny said. "As were you Shadow. Are you telling me that in the time you were there nothing happened?"

"Nothing happened," I lied. If I had felt sick before it was nothing to how I felt now. I wanted to bolt from the chair and run away screaming until any talk of Harrison was miles away.

"He's right," Harkat said.

"I don't believe you," Mr. Tiny said scowling.

The waiter came back and refilled my drink. She waited for our orders impatiently and I quickly looked back at the menu before selecting a hamburger and fries. This time her pulse was slightly faster and it was that much harder to look away. When I did I was immediately met with the red fabric of the booth and I sighed. It took Mr. Tiny thumping his hand onto the table to make me jump and look back at him.

"Now," Mr. Tiny said crossly. "Is the problem you will not, or cannot tell me?"

I knew we had to tread carefully. Mr. Tiny hadn't been this angry since I had first seen him at Harrisons. "Can't," I said and folded my hands in my lap, staring at Mr. Tiny through my fringe of hair. I was trying to put on the same slightly inhuman act like before, since it had worked to calm the man last time.

"Why not?" Mr. Tiny demanded.

My lips had sealed themselves shut and I shook my head wordlessly.

Harkat rubbed his arms and under the illusion I could see a hint of the white string that the nurses had put in him. "I don't think you would understand if we explained why."

"Do they have magic?" Mr. Tiny hissed. "Are you under compulsion?" He looked like he wanted to kill us, but was barely hanging onto his self control.

Harkat straightened and looked straight at Mr. Tiny, apparently mustering up every bit of courage he had. "Pain," he said. "Pain and fear is what happened." He looked sideways at me. "I don't know exactly what happened to Shadow, but it was…different for both of us." He stared at his hands and shrugged helplessly. "I don't think either of us have the words to express it. At least I had something else before it though. Shadow woke up in that…place with no memory."

Mr. Tiny leaned back and seemed to calm down slightly. At least he no longer looked like he would explode. He seemed to be thinking over what Harkat had said and either he found enough information in it or he knew there would be no more gotten out of us. He probably wouldn't be happy with that little bit for long and somehow he would be planning to get the full story out of us one way or another. But for now Harkat and I had dodged the question for the most part.

I sucked down the second glass of soda and Harkat, who seemed to be seeking something funny laughed.

"You really drained that drink," he chuckled.

I clenched the glass so hard it cracked and shuddered. "Don't talk about draining anything," I said.

Harkats eyes widened and he stared at me questioningly; when I nodded he paled slightly and seemed to count how many humans were in the restaurant. I already knew: thirteen other victims if I broke.

Finally the waiter came back with food and I dug in, trying to sate my hunger with solid food. I knew it wouldn't work, but at least it would help my more normal hunger. Harkat kept staring at me out of the corner of my eye so much he almost spilled his soup. It was a very odd experience sitting at the table with Mr. Tiny while he ate shrimp. If I didn't look too closely I could almost imagine he was the man I had known before, but then he looked over and the shine in his eyes was so different the image shattered. I sighed and stared at my plate. When our meals were almost finished I got up from the table. "Bathroom," I explained.

I rushed past the waiters and a few waiting patrons before I was standing over the sink. My fangs kept threatening to push past my upper lip no matter how many times I slapped up the illusion. I splashed water over my face and walked back out into the main part of the restaurant. Our waiter was standing next to another woman in the hallway while they waited, facing away from me and out into the rest of the restaurant. I walked up behind them and was about to cough and ask to pass when my eyes locked on the pulse beating in the twos necks. I stopped and blinked, biting my lip. I opened my mouth, fully intending to speak and then closed it again. My stomach growled and my fangs ached. I took a slow step forward and raised my hand to tap our waiter on the shoulder to pass, but again I stopped. One tiny sip wouldn't kill the woman; I was so, so hungry. I leaned forward toward her neck, fangs sliding free. The two women kept talking oblivious to their peril and I grinned, ready to sink my teeth into her throat.

"SHADOW NO!" Harkat bellowed.

I snapped my head up and Harkat threw himself out of the booth, tearing across the restaurant toward me. Mr. Tiny turned in his seat and then got up; it was clear he didn't quite know what was going on yet. Harkats shout made the two women turn around and then scream. They bolted for the doors and then several others in the restaurant caught onto the fear and ran for the doors too. I growled and stalked forward, jerking my head from side to side as multiple humans fled this way and that. There was so much food running around I wasn't quite sure which to go for first. I inhaled and sifted through the scents in the room, trying to distinguish the most flavorful. The man trying to push through the door first caught my attention and I flew across the restaurant, bounding over tables to get to him. When I was about half way there, the human noticed and his terror escaped in a high pitched scream that hurt my ears enough to send me in a different direction. Then I was hit in the legs so hard that that both my attacker and I toppled off the table and onto the floor. Harkat tried to push me down and pin me by the arms but I bucked him off and sent him flying into the wall where he hit hard and slid down.

"What the hell is going on?" Mr. Tiny roared and his voice was so loud and angry that the entire restaurant stopped, including me. He pointed at me and I growled at him. "What is this?"

Harkat stumbled upright and flexed his hand, wincing. "He's hungry."

Mr. Tiny lowered his hand and stared at me. I tilted my head and looked back equally challenging. "He just drank," he said irritably. "From me."

Harkat looked like he wanted to ask more about that but instead continued. "He needs to drink every two days or…," he gestured at me. "That."

The humans in the restaurant had been looking between us but now the man I had wanted before cursed loudly and threw open the door. I whipped around and leapt at him, but something invisible slammed into my right side and sent me across three tables before I stopped. My ribs burned with red hot pain and every breath sent needles up my chest. I tried to curl up, shocked out of the hunger for the moment but I was pushed back down and Mr. Tiny towered over me, pushing his hand flat on my chest. The rest of the humans filed out the restaurant and I squirmed unhappily, watching all the free meals escape.

"Explain," Mr. Tiny snapped, digging his fingers even harder into my chest.

Harkat wobbled over to us. "I just did. He needs to drink blood much more often then a normal half vampire. This is how you found him when we escaped, but he didn't have so many meal options last time."

"Why would he not say something?" Mr. Tiny spat.

Harkat scowled back. "In case you haven't noticed, you aren't exactly the most approachable person."

Mr. Tiny pushed his hand into my chest so hard I cried out.

The pressure on my chest did not let up and I moaned in pain, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. I was sure at least a couple ribs were broken. Mr. Tiny continued his argument with Harkat and his hand slid further up my chest until his fingers were digging into the base of my throat. I saw my chance and pulled my head up, sinking my teeth into his forearm. Mr. Tiny pulled back but I hung on stubbornly, not even trying to drink just repaying him for the pain. But when his blood flooded my mouth my fangs broke free again and I stopped trying. I had gotten barely anything when Mr. Tiny ripped free. I stumbled backwards and over Mr. Tiny's shoulder Harkat mouthed "run."

I did so, crashing through the restaurant doors and stumbled out onto the street. I could barely walk and my chest ached fiercely. Mr. Tiny and Harkat were still shouting and I hoped Harkat bought me enough time to get far enough away so Mr. Tiny would have to search awhile and cool off first. But barely two blocks away I gave up and went into an alley, sitting behind a dumpster. In a puddle on the ground I gingerly pulled up my hoodie; I looked myself over and winced. My side was black and blue and running my fingers over the bruise made my side scream in pain. My chest had a handprint shaped bruise and more fingerprint bruises dotted my throat and collar. A gash on my hairline that I hadn't felt before bled sluggishly, trailing red lines down the left side of my face. The dragon was curled up on my leg shaking and I wholeheartedly agreed with it. Sirens sounded in the distance and I mimicked the dragon's position behind the dumpster. I wouldn't be running anywhere if they found me.

Enough time went by that I stopped bothering to wipe the blood off my face and it dried in a sticky mess in my hair and down my cheek and chin. When I opened my mouth the blood cracked and flaked off, falling onto my jeans so I stopped moving. Police officers ran up and down the streets, even coming into the alley but strangely they never saw me. One even looked directly at me and he only looked confused before leaving. I had hoped that even if Mr. Tiny wanted to abandon me Harkat would leave him and find me, but it seemed that wasn't going to happen.

I dozed off and woke up when the sun was setting. It was a cold evening but I could only think it had nothing on the desert; but sitting on cold cement with no shirt while leaning against an even colder dumpster was not fun. I couldn't leave because the police would definitely see me then. I picked at the blood on my face, trying to take shallow breaths to lessen the pain, thinking that both Evanna and Mr. Tiny needed a lesson in how to take surprising news. I was still hungry too; I had drank enough to keep me from hunting humans right now, but by the morning I would be back at it if I wasn't too stiff to move. Whenever I was alert enough I splashed water onto my hoodie to soak it. The water sank into my wounds and while the water wasn't clean enough to heal me it helped with the pain. When I looked up again my heart nearly stopped. Mr. Tiny was walking on the other side of the main street, looking if possible more pissed off then he had in the restaurant. His head was turning from side to side and he was barging through humans like they weren't even there. I didn't see Harkat with him and my stomach churned. Maybe he had killed Harkat and was coming after me now. I watched him pause in front of a clothing store and stare at himself in the window. His reflection distorted and then melted apart as I watched, coming together to form an entirely new face. Then his clothes changed too but before I could catch a glimpse of more then a brown leather jacket and dark eyes he was swallowed up by a group of people entering the store; when the crowed cleared he was gone.

"Crap," I muttered. I soaked the hoodie for the last time and put it back on, wincing as the fabric stuck to my side. The rest of the puddle went toward getting the blood off my face and splashing some on my chest bruises before using the dumpster to stand up. I probably looked like a homeless lunatic, so no self respecting store would let me buy new clothing with the wallet. I looked at my phone and saw that both Mr. Tiny and Harkat had tried to call several times; the latest call of Harkats had been only five minutes ago. I touched the screen and sent Harkat a quick text saying "Alive" before wobbling out of the alley and looking up and down the street. The phone buzzed again and I looked at the reply.

_Where are you!' _It read.

'_Still near the restaurant. Saw Mr. Tiny and he looks livid, so relocating.' _I sent back.

'_Are you hurt badly? Mr. Tiny wouldn't believe me that I thought you were. He thinks he only knocked you around a bit.' _Harkat sent and I could practically feel the indignation in the message.

I hesitated before answering, thumbs hovering over the keypad. '_A_ _few broken ribs, bruises and a cut but otherwise fine. Pain level is under management for now.' _ I put the phone back in my pocket and straggled up the street, keeping a wary eye out for Mr. Tiny. I tried to walk normally but it was almost impossible the more my clothing dried. The phone vibrated and I fished it out of my pocket to look at the screen. The caller ID was Mr. Tinys and I watched the call go on and on. When it ended I made to put the phone away again but an idea came to me and I sent another message to Harkat. _'Text Mr. Tiny and tell him I won't answer you. Also did you change my name to Shadow in your phone?' _

'_Yes I changed it. I already told him you wouldn't answer before after the third call. That's when he left.' _Harkat replied. He sent another message directly after the first. _'You need a doctor. Your ribs could shift again and puncture a lung if you get in a fight.' _ Then another message came before I could reply. _'Mr. Tiny needs anger management classes.' _

I would have snorted if I wasn't nursing broken ribs. I typed up a quick reply. _'I will be fine. Right now a punctured lung would be the least of my worries if Mr. Tiny caught up to me. And speaking of that I need to move. I'll text again when "safe".' _ I tucked the phone back in my pocket and pulled the hood lower around the sides of my face. It wasn't to keep Mr. Tiny from noticing me, he knew exactly what I was wearing but it was to keep people from seeing the fangs that were stubbornly refusing to withdraw. Every time someone came up behind or in front I turned my head in the other direction until they passed. Scenting the air was hard when I couldn't take a deep breath without excruciating pain but I managed to identify people who came towards me pretty quickly. The pain was spreading into my shoulder and arm, making movement even harder and I hadn't even made it three streets over. I leaned against the wall and cursed. I had suffered multiple wounds far worse then this and somehow these injures were even more incapacitating. I slowly slid down the wall and managed to get out the phone again. I swiped blood out of my eyes from my head wound which had reopened and wrote a message that I hated to send. _'Can't walk anymore. He really did a number on me.' _I set the phone down on the sidewalk next to me and tried to look completely normal to the passing people.

The reply came much faster then I expected and when I looked at the screen I mentally beat myself over the head. I had sent the message to the only other number in my phone. '_I suppose you meant to send this to your cohort. Where are you?' _I didn't answer and another text came through. _'Unless you were lying to Harkat, you are in need of medical attention. Tell me where you are. Now.' _

I sent a short and to the point message. '_No.' _

'_I did not drag you out of a desert with my blood in your stomach to watch you die in a filthy Vegas alley.' _Then_. 'If you do not tell me where you are I will simply leave.' _And again._ 'You are being utterly ridiculous.' _

The last message enraged me into replying. _'Sure. I am being stupid for refusing medical help from the person who sent me off in this condition in the first place!' _ It was only after I sent the message that I got the desperation in the things Mr. Tiny had sent. Whatever twisted plan he had in mind, had me as the starring player and he couldn't very well put it into motion with me hiding in some alley. Under normal circumstances I was sure he would merely have thought about finding me and been able too, but I guessed whatever kept the police away was working on him too.

'_You were being irrational.' _

'_So beating me up was the answer? Congratulations you sound like Harrison.' _ I nearly cracked the screen with the force of that message.

'_I do not lower myself to the level of that man.' _

'_You already have! What happened in there was exactly what he did! You found out something you didn't like and acted like a child. Why would I stay with a man that seems no different then the person who locked me up and tortured me? I had nothing when I woke up. Nothing. I have no memories of nice people and so far most of the ones I've met this time around are bastards.' _That time I sent the message with shaking fingers. This was the hardest act I'd put on as Shadow and it wasn't even a lie. Harkat had really been the only decent person. Of course I wouldn't really leave, I needed to stay and figure out how to fix Mr. Tiny and the rest of my friends, but I would not put up with Mr. Tiny's unpredictable mood swings. While Harrison had been awful, he had been partially right. It was really easy to make my magic hate someone or something, and equally easy to instill fear. Even before the restaurant the dragon and I always got tense around the man and it would only be worse now. The phone remained silent and I smiled. My message was probably making Mr. Tiny think about how he could manipulate me into staying, but the end result would be he would have to act politer and rein in his anger even more. I didn't intend to keep my magic a secret forever, but I would only reveal it on my terms and when Mr. Tiny was in a very, very good mood.

"Shadow!" A quiet voice was saying from some distance away. The voice was moving from street to street, calling down each alleyway they found. It was Harkat, and there was only his footsteps. When he got to my street I responded to him with a grunt and he ran, crouching in front of me.

"Took you long enough," I said wincing when Harkat touched my ribs and chest. "How did you convince Mr. Tiny to go alone? Or did he leave us?"

Harkat sighed. "I told him that you would have run a long ways into the city so he went to look there. I knew he had done enough damage that you wouldn't have gone far. He wouldn't let me go for a long time. I haven't seen him that mad before," Harkat said almost reverently.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I should have said something."

Harkat waved me off. "I told him the truth. If he was a bit less creepy and approachable maybe this stuff wouldn't happen."

"You called him creepy?" I said, raising my eyebrows.

"Yep," Harkat said proudly.

"I bet he loved that," I said and closed my eyes. "What a first day in Vegas. We didn't even get drunk!" I mock complained.

Harkat smiled before lightly patting me on the shoulder. "There is always tomorrow. Mr. Tiny said we would have about a week. Stay here. I'll go and get some pain killers," he said and walked back up the street.

I rubbed the screen of my phone and frowned. I knew Mr. Tiny would think about his answer, but taking this long was odd. He was probably crisscrossing the city right now, either in fury or reluctant acknowledgement of his mistakes. I had given him a little bit more information about Harrison to pacify him, but I was in no mood to go into details and doubted I ever would be.

A bit later another set of footsteps walked toward me. "Go away," I said without opening my eyes. The steps stopped right in front of me and a pair of green rain boots scraped on the cement when the man crouched down. "I mean it," I hissed and cracked open my eyes.

Mr. Tiny had his head tilted and was studying me rather intently. Harkat was right. Creepy was the perfect word. "Harkat lied to me," he said almost contritely. "You didn't make it very far."

"Came to finish the job?" I asked spitefully.

Mr. Tiny arched an eyebrow. "If I wanted to kill you I would not have fed you my blood to keep you alive. I would merely have ended you right away." He sniffed. "I don't waste time in idle chit chat with people I intend to kill."

"Comforting," I said.

"It should be," Mr. Tiny said seriously. He shifted a little closer and did something that I never would have thought he would do. "Though occasionally I forget myself."

I stared at him silently. That was the closest I had ever heard him get to an apology and for a moment I caught a glimpse of the Mr. Tiny I had come to like. Perhaps wiping his memories hadn't erased everything? "Fine," I grumbled. "Though I would appreciate if you "forgot" yourself on an inanimate object next time."

Mr. Tiny's lips curled into a half smile and his old shrewdness came back in an instant. "Of course," he murmured. He tucked his watch back in his pocket; I hadn't even noticed it in his palm and reached forward to pull me upright. "I will see to your injuries at the tent. I do not wish to stay in this dirty place any longer." He stared at my grimy self and his fingers twitched.

I hid a smile and allowed Mr. Tiny to haul me up. He half carried me down the street and I looked over his shoulder, to where Harkat had vanished. "We need to get Harkat," I said.

"He will meet us back at the tent," Mr. Tiny said and his phone disappeared back into a hidden pocket. We walked in silence for a while before the tent came into sight. Harkat was already waiting outside and he took my other side, helping me to the chair he normally sat in and lowered me down. Mr. Tiny set his watch on a table and snapped his fingers. My hoodie vanished and he stared at my torso with a blank expression; I was still just as black and blue and when his fingers touched my side my teeth clicked next to his arm before he pulled away. Mr. Tiny summoned a cup to him and slit his wrist with a fingernail, letting blood flow into the cup until it was completely full. He handed me the glass and I stared at the contents with a tiny bit of revulsion, even though my fangs were completely out and aching.

"The blood will speed your healing," Mr. Tiny explained. "And perhaps I should tell you that you will no longer be able to drink from humans."

"What?" I exclaimed.

"When a vampire or vampaneze drinks from me it does not kill them like commonly believed. Instead it binds them and I together permanently. Your thirst will not be satisfied by anything but my blood and if you drink human it will poison you." Mr. Tiny smiled widely. "And do not try to hide your hunger because instead of going after humans, you will seek out me."

I stared down at the cup again and tipped it to my lips before I lost my nerve. Somehow it tasted different then when it had come directly from Mr. Tiny and it took a few seconds of sucking through my fangs before I figured it out. Before his blood had held huge amounts of magic and now it was empty. The blood still sated my hunger, but it felt lacking somehow. I emptied the cup and sagged in relief, finally being rid of the bloodlust was a wonderful feeling.

"Tomorrow you two will have the run of Vegas by yourselves," Mr. Tiny said. "I have other business to attend." He pulled out his heart shaped watch and placed it on my chest; even though I was mostly sitting up the watch did not slide off my bruises. It started to glow so brightly I looked away and stared at the ceiling. It was strange feeling my bones knit together and the pain flow down to my legs then out of my feet.

Harkat spoke up and he looked like he had just figured something out that he didn't like in the slightest. "How did they find us in the desert? They would have been driving during Mr. Tiny's shielding to catch us sleeping."

I put my head back up to stare at my friend and frowned. "I don't know," I said slowly. The implications of Harkats words were worrying. If they could find us under the protection of the most powerful man in the world, then they could find us anywhere.

"They could already be here," Harkat said. "They could have been in that restaurant watching."

"Let them come," I snarled.

"Brave words," Mr. Tiny said quietly.

"We could run," Harkat said.

"No," I snapped. "Harrison's men will keep on coming even if we run to the edge of the world. We need to show them that their presence will be met with lethal force." I grinned darkly.

Harkat rubbed his hands together. "It's been too long since I last had a fight where we are the attackers," he said gleefully.

I squeezed the cup with the last bits of Mr. Tiny's blood in it so hard that it shattered. Pieces of glass went everywhere and I ignored the tiny cuts in my palm. "They have no idea what we are capable of," I muttered.

Harkat held out his hand to me and took off the necklace providing his disguise. He rolled up his sleeve and the white string gleamed. "I'll be ready and waiting," he vowed.

I leaned back my head and let the injuries keep healing, my thoughts drifting to tomorrow and all the possibilities that lay within it. Vengeance and of course getting roaring drunk in celebration. The corners of my mouth lifted and I chuckled. Tomorrow had the makings of a fabulous day.


	7. Chapter 7- Befriending the Dragon

**A.N. ** I apologize for any mistakes!

**obviouslyincognito:** Technically he would be the old Mr. Tiny but I also think of him as new lol

**Ansy**: I'm glad you like it :D

* * *

I focused on the entrance to the tent and wove my shaking fingers together, resting my head on my hands and waited for the first sunlight to peek through the doorway. Many hours had passed since I had given up on sleep; Harkat had joined me halfway through the night and together we now sat in the corner of the tent that had quickly become my bedroom of sorts. The tenseness that came before a battle settled over both of us early and I kept fidgeting, longing to rush outside and wrap my claws around throats. However, before vengeance came thought and planning. We still did not know Harrison's men kept finding us, and they were here; there was no doubt of that. I could smell them through the crack in the tent, harsh scents that filled my nostrils like burned rubber. They smelled of hate and blood. Their scents drove away the creeping exhaustion that threatened after two nights of little sleep. Harkat and I said nothing to each other, not wanting to wake Mr. Tiny and draw his unanswerable questions on us.

For the first two hours I had lingered in the bathroom, staring dazedly at my pale face. A long time had passed before the feeling of cold metal around my throat vanished. I had traced the paths Harrison's knives had made over my body, knowing exactly where the blades had cut even though the bastard had been careful to keep the wounds from scarring. Another scar of my own making was hidden right by my right hip. I'd sliced open my skin and forced magic and intent into my body so violently it had healed instantly. The brief pain had been worth it, the magic rested in my skin, acting like a ward against Mr. Tiny. My memories before waking up in Harrison's care were sealed off from the man forever, unless I reopened the scar and let the magic free.

Harkat shifted from his stock still position and looked over at me. "Previously, I was thinking rationally and thought waiting for Mr. Tiny to wake up would be the ideal thing."

I raised my eyebrows. "And now?"

"My rational thinking has flown out the window," Harkat said and stood up. "We have the advantage of darkness and surprise. We can kill them while they rest." He rubbed his hands together. "I am a Little Person and you are…something. Anyway we are stronger, faster and more dangerous then those humans. Don't you want to shed that fake air of humanity you hold around yourself for even a bit?"

I tucked my hands under my legs to hide the emergence of claws and sighed. "You have no idea how much." Harkat wouldn't be able to imagine the sheer annoyance of not being able to use magic on a daily basis. It was an itch wherever the dragon went, a burning under my skin and a restlessness that would not be satisfied with normal activity. The illusions strained to contain my broken wings and sometimes when I caught a glimpse of my reflection my eyes would flicker back to swirling blue from a moment. I stood up and stared at the gap in the tent, leaning forward as if I could just appear outside without moving.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Harkat asked playfully. "If you are at all worried I bet Mr. Tiny would approve of the bloodshed at least."

I cocked my head and growled lowly. "I don't need his permission." I curled my hand around the entrance to the tent and exchanged a look with Harkat before ripping back the fabric and crouching on the ground, the Little Person standing over me with a knife in each hand. We were unable to be seen by anyone outside yet, as we had not left the tent. There were the usual cars in the street and people walking up and down the sidewalk, clutching coffee in their hands. But here and there were Harrison's men, scattered among the other humans like black clouds. Oh they had made an effort to blend in, but holding coffee and yawning convincingly was not enough to disguise the bulge in their pockets or the glint of steel up their sleeves. "Scattered," I muttered gleefully. "This is too easy." I ducked out of the tent and motioned to Harkat to stay on the sidewalk while I crossed the street. I used the few people as blockades, gaining valuable ground before the idiots even realized.

The closest man was sipping at coffee and checking his watch when I lunged for him, closing my clawed hands around his waist and dragging him down to the ground. His head banged off a wall and the coffee spilled all over his front, drawing a pained scream as his skin burned. I leered at him when he tried to pull out a gun and ripped the weapon out of his hands, driving a knee into his groin before I crushed the barrel of the gun with one hand. The goon had time to widen his eyes in panic before I ripped open his throat. Ordinarily I would have left him there to bleed out and die, but I grabbed him by the foot and pulled him down the street, leaving behind a trail of blood. People rushed away from me, screaming and babbling into phones that they dropped when I looked at them directly. I laughed softly and closed in on the second man who had his gun already out and pointed at my chest. His eyes were blown wide with fear, but there was an air of determination around him. The dragon purred on my skin and I locked eyes with the man, silently daring him to fire; the gun went off but I was already moving the bullet flying by harmlessly, my claws hooking into skin before the man could fire again. His body jerked as I sank my claws into his chest and buried my fangs into his shoulder. He died too quickly and I dragged a man by each hand, pausing to see how Harkat was faring.

I shouldn't have worried; Harkat had slain more men then I had, but he had taken no time to relish the kills. Two men lay dead at his feet and his knives blurred into the body of another even as I watched. Blood splattered against his face and he turned to gaze at me, eyes alight. I wandered over to him, dodging humans and whispered in his ear. "I will leave one alive."

"Why?" Harkat asked.

"So he can run back to Harrison and tell him exactly what happened," I hissed and leapt away. The third man I had already chosen, but I took my time stalking him around the tent. When he was right in front of the entrance I jumped at him, sending us flying backwards back inside the tent. I punched the man in the face and snarled, shoving my fangs into his face before throwing him into the weapon rack. The man clattered to the floor and I snatched him by the arms, swinging him around in the air and back outside, following with a bound that landed me precisely on his chest. We stared at each other in equal disgust and I wrapped my hands around his throat, pulling his head up at an awkward angle. "You are all fools," I snarled. When the man tried to speak I clamped a hand over his mouth and nose until he turned blue; only when he ceased struggling did I let him take a breath. "Did you not learn your lesson when I escaped? Did you think I would tolerate pursuit? Everyone that comes after us will be ripped apart without a thought." My voice was deep and melting between human and dragon. "Except you," I trailed a finger down the mans cheek and smiled. "You are the lucky messenger." I forced him around so he could see Harkat killing the rest of the men with no effort. "Do you see that? Describe it to Harrison. Tell him how your companions died." I bit down on the mans ear and he screamed. "Unfortunately, your master isn't the forgiving type," I said pursing my lips. "He will probably kill you for failing to catch me."

"You're a monster," the man choked out between heaving breaths.

I smiled and pulled up a sentence from long ago. "Yes," I said nastily. "But I'm only a baby one." I let the man go as he fell unconscious and wiped my hands clean on his shirt. I emptied his gun and scattered the bullets, then took his knife and snapped it in half. Harkat ran up to me and also cleaned his weapons on the fallen man. "Are they all dead?" I asked, watching my nails return to normal size.

Before Harkat responded a clapping sound startled me and I whipped around. Mr. Tiny was standing just outside the tent, bringing his hands together in resounding applause. He looked like he might cry from happiness. "Oh, I am going to _love_ having you two around!" he said in delight, looking at the carnage on the street. He took one step and appeared between Harkat and I, slinging an arm around our shoulders. "Let's get you two cleaned up," he chuckled, staring at the spots of blood on my hands.

"Hands in the air!" A voice cried at the same time a whistling sound echoed in my left ear. A spot of red appeared on Harkats shirt and in a split second a dart was embedded deep into his shoulder. A pain in my arm told me I had a dart too and I wrenched it out without looking. Harkat swayed on the spot, looking confused and I searched windows and rooftops for the shooter. Mr. Tiny pulled us around and caught another dart in the bottom of his jacket. He ignored it in favor of dragging Harkat down the street while tugging me along with his other hand.

"You underestimate us," the voice said again and this time it sounded like it was coming through a loud speaker. "All three of you think we are fools."

I blinked fuzzily; the ground was heaving underneath my feet and I tried to compensate by leaning the other way. Apparently that was wrong though because Mr. Tiny yanked me the other way. Harkat was completely out of it, hanging like a doll in Mr. Tiny's grip.

"The monster and the boy belong to us old man," the voice continued. "Shadow may have some strength at his disposal, but it is no more then a vampire. We measured his speed and yes, he was a bit faster then a normal vampire but that is nothing spectacular."

I laughed under my breath. I felt like sicking up from the tumbling world but I had figured out where the guy was speaking from. I stared at a green car to the left and ducked out from under Mr. Tiny's arm, stumbling toward the car. The voice continued, berating Mr. Tiny for helping us, listing everything that would happen to him when we were brought in. I didn't know if the guy knew that all his men had been killed or if he didn't care either way. I reached the car and placed my palms on the window to steady myself before trying the handle; surprisingly it was unlocked and I threw open the door, noting with some distant dread that a string had been tied to the doorframe and led deep into the car. There was nothing in the car except a machine sitting on the driver's side that played the guys voice. I had a split second to stare at the empty vehicle before a clicking sound betrayed the real intent of the car. I was such an idiot.

The car burst apart in a rush of fire and pieces of metal and I was blasted into the air, metal slicing into my clothing and skin. I hit the cement, rolling across the ground and onto debris that cut into my stomach. Flaming pieces of seat leather fell around me and the steering wheel, or at least a piece of it hit the sidewalk next to my head. I tried to roll on my back but a sharp pain in my side made me moan in pain; I twisted my head awkwardly to see and nearly fainted. A curled piece of metal was sticking out of my stomach and another piece was deep in the front of my right thigh. My other leg was smoking and I couldn't see out of my left eye. It wasn't any of that which bothered me the most however; it was the dragon. I could feel the dragon was pinned on my thigh right through his left front leg and another wound had opened up my left arm in sympathy. The dragon started to thrash around frantically and the wound on my arm opened up further. I couldn't feel any pain except on my face and it felt like it was on fire.

Harkat fell to his knees beside me and I stared at him silently. His lips were moving but I couldn't hear what he was saying. I didn't understand how he was walking around. Hadn't the dart taken him out? The Little Person beat the ground next to me and I tried to say I was alright, it wasn't that bad but my mouth wouldn't move. I couldn't even move my eyes anymore. Then Mr. Tiny appeared and my fingers twitched, trying to run away. If he looked at my wounds he would see the dragon and it would be over.

Mr. Tiny patted Harkat on the shoulder and moved to my other side, gently sliding his hands under my limp body. When he lifted me up my body burst into pain and while I couldn't make a sound a puff of air escaped. My head fell back over his arm and I looked at the world upside down, staring blankly at Harkat. All around police cars were pulling up, but Mr. Tiny strode through the mass of blinking lights without being stopped. A gun went off and I flinched, wishing the dragon would stop fighting. It was with some interest that I noticed we were not going towards the tent; instead we were heading out of the city completely. Harkat grabbed onto Mr. Tiny's jacket sleeve and the world spun into blackness.

We appeared in a place that had enough snow to go up to Mr. Tiny's knees. But we were only outside for a second then Mr. Tiny walked over hardwood floors and up a flight of steps before setting me down on a pristine white blanketed bed. I felt bad for staining the sheets with blood and soot. The door slammed shut and Harkat touched the uninjured side of my face, patting me. I wished I could let him know I was still here.

Mr. Tiny shrugged off his jacket and approached the bed, surveying me from several angles before Harkat said something angrily. Mr. Tiny snapped something back and then rolled up his sleeves, grabbing a knife out of the air and slitting his wrist. He held the open wound above my throat and blood dripped onto my lips, but didn't go down. Mr. Tiny held his wrist closer and forced my mouth open wider, stroking my throat until his blood went down. Instantly I sucked in a breath and coughed loudly.

"Shadow?" Harkat asked. "Can you hear me?"

I tried to say yes but it came out a in a garbled mess.

Mr. Tiny cut open my shirt with the knife and stared at the metal in my stomach then wrapped his hand around it. Harkat placed his own hands on my shoulder and pushed me down into the bed. I wanted to tell them that there was no need; I couldn't feel anything except my face. However, when Mr. Tiny pulled out the metal it woke up the pain and the dragon resumed its frantic movements. I tossed on the bed with muscles that finally remembered how to work and threw off Harkat easily. Mr. Tiny tossed the metal on the floor without looking back and started to go toward my thigh.

"No!" I cried pleadingly.

Mr. Tiny paused with one hand over the metal. "If its modesty you are worried about I don't think this is the time." Without waiting he ripped off my pant leg and I closed my eyes in defeat. There was nothing but silence until the pain that came with metal being pulled out of your leg and a sickening lurch in my stomach.

I opened my eyes and saw nothing but the room; I was standing by the door behind Harkat and Mr. Tiny who were still crouched over…myself? My body was lying on the bed, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. My chest had ceased moving entirely and now Harkat was shaking me violently, screaming in my ear. Mr. Tiny had his wrist back at my mouth, and pressed two glowing fingers against the side of my neck. I ran over to them and tried to grab Mr. Tiny's arm but when I touched him the man did nothing to give away he had felt my touch. I waved my hands in front of his face but he didn't even blink. I tried to grip Harkat by the shoulders, but nothing I did would move the Little Person. "HEY!" I screamed in Mr. Tiny's face. In frustration I balled my hand into a fist and tried to punch him in the face. Nothing happened.

Mr. Tiny removed his fingers from my neck and the red glow faded away. He stared at Harkat and shook his head. "The boy is dead," he said. He stepped back and stood in the corner of the room silently, walking right through me.

Harkat wailed and punched the side of the bed.

I stared at myself. Blood stained the sheets and my face was swiftly paling. My injuries looked even more gross from this angle; I had a horrible gash running down the side of my face, right over my eye. The wound in my stomach was gaping and the one in my leg looked equally nasty. My eyes were mostly closed, but a slit of bright blue shone through the crack in my eyelids. I looked closer and gasped; the illusions had fallen on my eyes. Then I looked for my crumpled wings underneath my body and failed to find them. I whipped around and dove at Mr. Tiny who had his head bowed and grabbed the front of his jacket, trying to shake him. "I'm not dead!" I screeched. "You could try harder bastard!" Mr. Tiny did nothing and I turned on Harkat who had his upper body now thrown over me. "Where are my wings idiot! If I was dead they would be here!"

"We have to go," Mr. Tiny said eventually and appeared beside Harkat, resting a hand on his shoulder.

The Little Person had been staring into space with me sitting next to him, but he stirred and looked up at Mr. Tiny blankly. "Where are we going?"

"Wherever the wind takes us," Mr. Tiny said. "We will give Shadow a vampire's burial." A ball of fire took shape in his hand and my insides froze. If Mr. Tiny burned down the house, I really _would_ be dead.

Harkat touched his forehead to mine and tears rushed down his face, dripping onto the gash. I felt his tears on my own skin and touched them, looking at the drops on my forehead. Then he stood up and let Mr. Tiny guide him out of the room and back down the stairs.

I chased after them, running through Mr. Tiny when he paused at the front door. I picked up a lamp and threw it at Mr. Tiny; it bounced just short of him and cracked on the floor. But the man didn't even look around. Mr. Tiny rolled the fire between his fingers for a split second then tossed it at the steps. The fire burst into life, swiftly spreading on the old wood and began to climb up the steps. He and Harkat stepped outside but the Little Person suddenly turned around and made a dash for the front door again.

"We can't leave him here," he sobbed.

Mr. Tiny wrapped Harkat up and began to drag him away, with the Little Person screaming and kicking the entire time.

There was another tug in my stomach and I was pulled up the flaming steps, back into the bedroom and into my body. I sucked in a breath, chest heaving until I inhaled smoke and coughed. My injuries were starting to heal. As I watched skin closed over the hole in my stomach and thigh, leaving behind puckered scars. My face ached but I could feel it healing over too. I quickly reapplied the illusions on my eyes and went to the window, smashing through the glass before leaping down one story to the grass below. Harkat saw me first and his mouth fell open. He slapped Mr. Tiny in the side of the head and scrambled toward me as the house became an inferno behind me. When Mr. Tiny turned around his eyes widened just a bit before narrowing. Then I was tackled to the ground by Harkat. We were only pulled up when Mr. Tiny finally made his way over to us and yanked us to our feet.

Mr. Tiny looked me up and down and frowned. "You were dead," he said.

I grinned. "You can't get rid of me that easily!" I said slyly.

Harkat spluttered and poked me in the chest. "You had no pulse!"

I shifted from foot to foot. "I will be happy to explain, but could I get some pants first?"

Mr. Tiny regained his composure and smirked. "Of course," he said and waved his hand. "Now explain."

"You know those people who say they had an out of body experience?" I questioned. "Well, unless I was hallucinating, I just had one." The blank expressions I got made me sigh. "I appeared in the bedroom, but I was still lying on the bed too. Mr. Tiny was checking my pulse and then he said I was dead."

Harkat blinked and circled me twice, then scratched his head. "I don't know…"

I crossed my arms. "Mr. Tiny said that he was going to give me a vampire burial and then he had to drag you down the front yard."

"Could you not speak to us?" Mr. Tiny asked disbelievingly.

"Nope," I said and blushed. "I may or may not have tried to punch you in the face. I screamed too, quite loudly and none of you did anything. I even threw a lamp."

Now Mr. Tiny was looking extremely interested. "What returned you back to your body?"

"I'm not sure."

"Think," Mr. Tiny hissed.

"I don't know!" I said.  
Mr. Tiny came way too close and tipped my head back to stare at the new scar lining my face and his fingers lit up briefly. Something like an electric shock, but also nothing like what the color had done to me raced up my spine and onto my chin. Mr. Tiny jerked back and his eyes gleamed. "Interesting," he said speculatively. "Ah, but everything worked out in the end did it not?" He rubbed his hands together and there was a brief moment of dizziness before we were back in the tent. Mr. Tiny sat down in one of the cushy chairs and stared at me without blinking.

"What?" I asked defensively.

"Nothing," Mr. Tiny said and kept watching.

I took five more minutes of the nonstop watching until even Harkat was looking between us. "Would you stop it!" I said.

"No."

I stomped over to my corner of the tent and pulled several blankets over myself to block out Mr. Tiny. But the blankets were pulled back and I was once again forced to endure it. I was so mad I turned on Mr. Tiny, baring my fangs at him. "Stop it!" I shouted.

"I am waiting," Mr. Tiny "explained."

"For what?" I snarled.

"I'm not quite sure yet," Mr. Tiny said and propped his head on his hand.

I stared at Harkat in disbelief and he shrugged, gesturing to the exit. I agreed mentally and walked toward it. But of course I was pulled back to the rug. Now I was beyond angry and stomped over to the magician, lashing out with every bit of strength I had at his nose. "I'm not a test subject!" I growled. My fist collided with Mr. Tiny's hand when he brought it up to shield himself.

"Defensive," Mr. Tiny murmured and flexed the hand I had hit. "Strong too." He didn't even look angry. "I am sure you have had quite enough of being studied," he conceded.

"Yes," I said furiously.

Mr. Tiny swiftly changed the conversation and addressed both Harkat and I. "Are the nightmares getting any better?"

Harkat and I exchanged looks of surprise. I hadn't expected Mr. Tiny to pay any serious attention to our nightly suffering. "No," we said together. "Not at all."

Mr. Tiny nodded. "I will have to do something about them." He stood up and grinned at us both. "Now, I may begin to get the business done that I came here to do. You may stay here or come with me, it does not matter which."

I thought about it before nodding. "I'll go," I said. I was tired, had just come back to life and was wearing horrible pants, but I wasn't quite ready to call the day done. Harkat stepped up beside me and also voted to come along. Mr. Tiny didn't give an outward reaction about our choice but I could smell his pleasure. For whatever reason he actually enjoyed our hopelessness in getting into trouble; maybe he was thinking we would cause even more mess wherever we were going.

"Follow," Mr. Tiny said and settled back into his usual quiet aloofness as we fell into step behind him. I stayed directly behind his right shoulder and Harkat walked on his left. There was silence for several minutes as we crossed streets and dodged harassed humans. Only a few of them gave us second glances and I recognized one or two of them as werewolves. Whenever one of the non-humans made eye contact with either Mr. Tiny or I they flinched. After that I stared at the ground so hard that I barely heard Mr. Tiny when he spoke again. "Most magicians use illusion to pull off their tricks," Mr. Tiny said. "But I have caught wind of a pair who may have some magic at their disposal. I do not think they were born with it. Most likely they got a hold of an object with magic in it." Mr. Tiny looked back at me and his eyes shone. "Unfortunately for them most objects like that are inherently corrupted and will bend their owner's minds into insanity."

"Fun," Harkat muttered.

"So are we going to kill them?" I asked.

"I haven't decided," Mr. Tiny said happily. "The mind is a fascinating place and to loose a pair so tainted would be a loss. I enjoy studying humans and non-humans minds to see how each one works. The sheer number of ridiculous fears and desires to manipulate are delightful. Non-humans of course are a bit trickier to read, but not one has withstood me." Again he looked back at me and this time I was the one who wanted to flinch away. I broke eye contact and stared at the sidewalk; not completely missing the satisfied smile that crossed Mr. Tiny's face. "However, while this should be an interesting experience the mind I truly want to explore is Harrisons'."

I stiffened and nearly tripped over a crack in the road. "Why?" I asked.

"Because, while most non-humans are idiots they are powerful," Mr. Tiny said. "If Harrison knows enough to capture two then he should also know that killing either of you would be unwise. Bringing you to his side and harnessing your abilities would have been the smarter path to whatever he wanted. Which I assume is power."

Harkat snorted loudly. "He tried to "harness" our powers all right. He wanted me to be his strong man. I said no and the consequences were not pleasant."

"I was to be his pet," I said simply. "I refused."

"And again there he went wrong," Mr. Tiny said like he was delivering a life lesson. "He should have kept after you. Delivering pain when you want someone on your side isn't always the answer, especially in the case of vampires and other non-humans. I take it both of you took a lot of pain?" Neither of us answered but he continued anyway. "Trust is another way. If he had taken you both in, helped you, fed you and generally been kind, then there would have been a higher chance of accepting his offer." Mr. Tiny looked faintly disgusted. "If he had delivered the offers in a different light. "Pet" is such a demeaning term."

Harkat snickered quietly and I looked over at him questioningly. "You would make the worst pet in the world," he said and laughed harder. "You'd probably shred their curtains, chew holes in expensive clothing and then eventually figure out structural weaknesses in the house and bring it down."

I kept a straight face. "You forgot about using antiques as claw sharpeners."

"And constantly wanting outside and then back in," Harkat giggled.

I smiled but before I could come back with something else Mr. Tiny shushed us.

"We are here," Mr. Tiny said. "While we will not go inside until tomorrow I want to get a good look outside."

I looked up at the building and frowned. It looked like an old warehouse that had been converted into something the Cirque Du Freak would have used if they had a permanent location. The windows were fitted with heavy velvet drapes; a different color on each floor. The entrance had two sets of huge doors proclaiming the pair's stage names in large black letters, but the words themselves I couldn't read. They seemed to be in a different language, but it was in none that I recognized. People were lined up outside, buying tickets but not going inside. Mr. Tiny walked toward the ticket booth, but I stayed back while he got in line, somehow cutting to the front without anyone noticing. I scanned all the windows I could see and saw faces peeking out from behind a few of the curtains. One little girl stared at me and her tiny hand pressed against the window as she waved to me with the other, her face lit up with a bright smile. Then she was gone. Mr. Tiny came back and held up three tickets.

"The show is tomorrow night at eleven," Mr. Tiny said. "Until then let us go back." He touched both our elbows and we spun back to the tent.

The rest of the evening I couldn't help but think, though the girl had looked happy enough there had been sadness in her eyes that did not fit such a child. I went to bed, dreading the night and closed my eyes, pulling the blanket over my head to block out the sound of Harkats breathing. Maybe the nightmares would spare me tonight.

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R&amp;R please? :D :D


	8. Chapter 8- The Twins

**A.N. I have the next chapter ready and it will be up Christmas morning ;) **

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I dug through the fridge, nudging aside random cans while trying to be quiet as possible. It was three in the morning and the night

mares had not been kind. I knew if I cared to look in the mirror I would see the usual pale face. The nightmares had left me thirsty, but the water and milk in the fridge made me want to puke. Instead I pulled out a small bottle of blood that Mr. Tiny had made up last night. I only took a few swallows every day, and I really didn't need any now but it was the only thing I could think of keeping down at the moment. I almost dropped the bottle when another wave of tremors ran through me. I sat at the table and managed to unscrew the lid before taking a long drink. Harkat was lasting longer then me this time and I watched him sleep on the couch rather enviously. When I closed my eyes flashes of falling metal collars and bloody knives danced in front of me; finally settling on Harrison's face which always leered at me while wearing a necklace of blue feathers.

"Nightmare?"

I jumped and looked up. Mr. Tiny was sitting across from me at the table, lightly drumming his fingers on the table. I hadn't heard him enter and wondered if he had even walked. "Yes," I said and held the bottle tighter.

Mr. Tiny leaned back in the chair and it creaked loudly. "You should not allow Harrison to rule your dreams." His fingers kept drumming infuriatingly. "Dreams are for discovery not terror."

"It may be easy for you, but most people can't disregard torture," I said crossly.

"He tortured you?" Mr. Tiny said and his fingers ceased moving. "The collar was not the entirety of what he did?"

I glared sourly at Mr. Tiny. "You mean being electrified until you can't move or scream isn't enough?" I pushed my chair back from the table and leaned across toward Mr. Tiny. "He cut me open again and again. He let me heal every time, always careful not to leave scars. The worst he did I will never, ever tell you!" I dug my nails into the table until they bent and barely regained enough control to sit back down. Over Mr. Tiny's shoulder I had seen several of the many trinkets he kept on shelves start to shake.

Mr. Tiny's fingers started to move again but this time so slowly they didn't make a sound. He was staring at me so hard I guessed he wanted to dig around inside my head, but was restraining himself from trying. "They knew what you were capable of," he said as more of a statement.

"Yes," I said grimly. "But Harrison didn't take everything into consideration." I scratched a nail along a line in the table and shrugged. "I don't know how they knew what I could…do though. And I still don't know how they keep finding us."

Mr. Tiny ran an eye up and down my neck and then got up from the table. "Tilt your head," he ordered. When I didn't immediately move he grabbed a fistful of my hair and none too gently pulled my head sideways. He ran his finger along the part of my neck that the collar had been on and aha'd. "There it is," he murmured. With the same hand he clamped it over my mouth and sliced into my neck with the other.

I let out a shout muffled into nothing by Mr. Tiny's palm and bit down on his fingers until he pulled away. The stinging pain vanished and I clapped a hand to my neck, rubbing away traces of blood. "What the hell?" I exclaimed.

Mr. Tiny held up a small metal object between his forefinger and thumb. "A tracker," he explained. "Crude but effective." He set the tracker on the table and nudged it toward me.

I had no wish to keep the thing so I did the next logical move. I brought my hand down flat on the tracker. When it still remained intact I growled and dropped it on the floor, grinding my heel into it until nothing but metal dust remained. I finally flopped back into the chair, breathing hard and sweating from the anger I had brought down upon it. My fists were clenched under the table and once again a few of Mr. Tiny's precious objects were vibrating. "You have no idea what it was like," I muttered. "So don't even try to pretend you understand." I pointed an accusing finger at Mr. Tiny. "I don't even know why I am staying with you. For all I know you could turn out just like Harrison and slap a collar on me too."

Mr. Tiny rolled his eyes. "I have no intention of harming either of you. Would I have put up with all of your shenanigans otherwise?" He wove his fingers together and met my gaze squarely. "I am hoping you have unleashed the extent of your troubles."

"Not even close," I said.

"Then tell me about them. There is nothing I have not seen nor done in my lifetime." Mr. Tiny's lips quirked upward. "And that has been quite a long time."

I squinted suspiciously at Mr. Tiny and shook my head. "I'm not ready," I said. Someday, yes I would reveal magic, but not my wings. "I don't know if I ever will be."

"Well we have time ahead of us," Mr. Tiny said and rolled his watch between his fingers; I hadn't seen him pull it out of his pocket. "Nothing will surprise me." He stood up and pushed his chair back into the table. "Now I do believe we are long overdue for sampling Las Vegas in all its glory." He nodded to Harkat and smiled in a creepy, but almost fond way. "Get some food and we shall go out. Leave your dear friend to sleep."

"It's three-thirty in the morning," I said.

"All the best things happen at night, do they not?" Mr. Tiny said.

I grabbed a soda and some toast and followed Mr. Tiny outside. The night air was chilly, but not too bad. Buildings rose above us, surrounding the moon that was almost full. Under the illusion my dragon eyes swept the streets, searching for any signs of Harrison or other supernatural creatures; and my broken wings fluttered slightly. I had a matter of days; maybe a week before revealing magic would become a matter of sanity. Merging with the dragon had not lessened my need for the magic to be balanced out by Mr. Tiny in the slightest and every morning I subconsciously fought the illusions a little more, seeking to break free and run rampant. It was only fed by my nightly fear. I took the lead and walked down an alley, using a fire escape to start climbing to the roof of a building. When I was near the top I looked down and my toes curled around the metal edge; I had neglected to put on shoes. The idea that I could fall and die, but should be able to fly made me angry.

"You don't fear falling? Good." Mr. Tiny stood directly behind me for a moment, uncomfortably close before he maunevered past and continued up the fire escape.

I followed and stood on the edge of the roof. Here the buildings were so close together that I could jump from rooftop to rooftop if I wished. "Why are we here?" I asked.

"I enjoy the moon," Mr. Tiny said and sat on the edge of the roof so his legs dangled out into open space.

I had an itch to leap out across the rooftops but I stayed put, staring at the top of Mr. Tiny's head. "The moon?" I said. "Why?" Mr. Tiny didn't answer so I crouched on the ledge, ready to jump away if I needed too and peered around at his face. Still no answer was forthcoming so I stared at the moon too. I imagined flying high into the sky, looking down at the city and its maze of streets and lights. I would be able to find Harrison easily and pull him high into the sky, then drop and catch him feet from impact. I would play with him like that over and over until I tired of it and let him crack onto the sidewalk.

"The one who captured you will die," Mr. Tiny announced out of the blue.

I stared sideways at him. "I thought you wanted to study him?"

"Yes."

"Then why-?"

"I have my own reasons, now quiet," Mr. Tiny said and waved his hand. It passed right by my face and then a necklace appeared in his hands It was a curled piece of metal, and tiny runes decorated the entire thing; the chain was gold, but only the metal part glowed crimson. "You and Harkat will wear these when you go to the show," he said. "The Twins have a way of bending people's minds and this will protect your dear sanity." He slipped it over my head and a pressure behind my eyelids made me want to rip it off, but before my hands reached the chain the pressure stopped completely. Mr. Tiny looked satisfied and I tucked the metal underneath my shirt. The metal was cold and even when I reached under my shirt to cup the necklace and warm it up it stayed stubbornly icy.

"Er, thanks," I said uncertainly. I could see Mr. Tiny wearing a chain just like the one I wore, so I highly doubted all the necklace did was keep our heads protected. Mr. Tiny certainly wouldn't need help with that.

"Come," Mr. Tiny said without acknowledging my thanks. "It is time we head back." He made for the fire escape and had both feet on the first step before I spoke up.

"Want me to show you another way down?" I asked.

Mr. Tiny frowned. "The fire escape is perfectly sufficient," he said.

"Yeah," I shrugged. "But my way is _much_ more fun." I had stayed crouched on the ledge the entire time and now I stood up, and walked off the ledge backwards into the air. As I fell I latched onto the first windowsill, stopping my fall until I dropped from floor to floor easily. When I looked up Mr. Tiny was staring down at me with a blank expression on his face. He pulled back and I shrugged, continuing down until I touched the sidewalk. The lingering idea that Mr. Tiny looked worried stayed at the back of my head until we got back to the tent. Right away I pushed past Harkat and shook him awake, ignoring the flailing limbs. I grabbed onto him and pulled the Little Person into a rib crushing hug, trying to stop the tremors I could feel coursing through him.

"That's it," Mr. Tiny announced.

"What?" I asked over Harkats shoulder, more then a little annoyed. "Are we too much of a bother?"

"No," Mr. Tiny snapped before his temper cooled. "You two should be suffering from far greater side effects then nightmares. If everything you told me is true and the extent of your tortures was that high you both shouldn't be carrying on with this much ease."

"Nightmares aren't exactly what I would call easy," I growled.

Mr. Tiny shook his head. "You misunderstand me. There should be fear besides the nightmares. I may not have fear, but I understand it enough to know that you both should have a lot more then you do. You Shadow should never have agreed to come with me so easily; another strange man should have sent you running the other direction. Neither of you show aversion to touch or anything else. I believe you are repressing the memories."

"If we were doing that there wouldn't be nightmares," I said fiercely and settled Harkat back onto the couch.

"That's because you aren't doing a very good job. You slip the moment your mind relaxes," Mr. Tiny explained. "The only way to completely heal your minds is to stop and work through human emotions." He leveled me with his gaze and I almost pressed back into the couch cushions. "Are you really thinking about what happened and dealing with it like you should be doing?"

"Yes," I lied.

"No," Mr. Tiny said resignedly. "You aren't. Now that I understand what is going on I know what will happen. If you both don't stop and deal with it, the nightmares will continue to increase in violence until you physically harm yourselves while asleep. The lack of sleep will only get worse until neither of you can function. Then the memories will not be contained and you will be overwhelmed while wild from sleep deprivation." He sounded almost sorrowful. "By then you may go completely insane."

"What do you suggest then?" Harkat spoke up, sounding sarcastic. Dark circles under his eyes gave away just how tired he was. "Do we all sit in a circle and share our pain while holding hands?" His eyes narrowed. "I don't know about you Shadow, but I am not in the mood for story time."

"Neither am I," I said. While I missed full nights of restful sleep, I was not going to open up to Mr. Tiny at the present time. Not until I fully gathered enough information to figure out his reaction to magic.

"We will deal with this in a couple days," Mr. Tiny decided. "When we are at a more peaceful place." He stared at both of us in turn, making sure we understood the weight of his next words. "But we _will_ be working this out." He added with a faintly annoyed expression. "I tire of hearing screams in the night."

My fists clenched and I exchanged a bitter look with Harkat. "I'm so sorry we are such a nuisance!" I spat. "We shall just pack our bags and leave then, shall we?" I helped Harkat up and we both faced Mr. Tiny, staring him down with fury. I had no more tolerance for Mr. Tiny and it was hard to remember why I was sticking around in the first place. The side long glances when we did something unsatisfactory, the frowns and eye twitches when we spoke above a whisper was enough to drive anyone nuts. Sure he wasn't beating us up anymore, but that was all. "I'm sorry that we have emotions and can't shrug off what happened to us so easily! I'm sorry that we are too loud, and don't perform under your standards every second of the day! And I am even sorrier that I ever came with you after escaping Harrison!" I reached under my shirt and yanked off the necklace which was burning hot and threw it at Mr. Tiny; it bounced off his chest and landed in his lap. "We aren't puppets you can manipulate!"

"You cannot leave," Mr. Tiny said flatly and his fingertips glowed. He didn't look that mad, not yet but he seemed to building up to righteous anger.

I waved my hands in the air. "What are you going to do? Slap us in chains? Maybe put a collar on me for good measure?" I turned around and stalked toward the door. A hand closed on my shoulder and I turned around, whipping a knife out of my jacket to press it under Mr. Tiny's chin. A drop of blood appeared on the very tip of the blade and I dug it a little deeper, glaring deep into Mr. Tiny's eyes. The man never flinched, which only fueled my fury. "Why do you keep us around if our every movement is frustrating?" I questioned angrily. When Mr. Tiny opened his mouth I cut him off swiftly. "You'd better think long and hard about what you say, or I will leave and you will never see me again!"

"Where would you go?" Mr. Tiny asked swiftly.

I twisted the knife, gripping the hilt of the weapon so hard my knuckles turned white. "Anywhere," I said. The dragon was sprawled out on my back, writhing in frustration along with me. Harkat was off to the side, watching the exchange with keen eyes. It appeared he was ready to run with me if things went bad.

Mr. Tiny inched a little closer, tilting his head to the side so the knife slid closer to his jugular. With one hand he reached out and patted my shoulder, ignoring the tiny flinch I gave and held up the necklace I'd thrown at him. "I don't offer protection to many. Both of you will be under my guard for as long as you live." Then, with a movement faster I could follow he knocked the weapon out of my hand, spun me around and pinned me to his chest, ignoring my attempts to kick him in the crotch. His strength was overwhelming and I knew without a doubt he could have crushed my ribs without exerting himself at all. My feet pummeled his legs hard enough to snap bone but Mr. Tiny didn't even blink.

"Let him go!" Harkat bellowed and rushed at Mr. Tiny.

Mr. Tiny snapped his fingers and Harkat froze, only his eyes moving back and forth wildly. He dragged me away from the frozen Little Person a few feet before I managed to slip an arm free.

I slammed my forearm back into Mr. Tiny's nose and his head snapped back, but his grip did not waver. He started to pull me out of the tent and I hooked a leg around the entrance to the tent, yanking us both to a stop. My muscles burned as Mr. Tiny slowly increased the force he was using to pull me away, until I felt like my leg would break in half. My knee gave way and the sudden release of pressure made Mr. Tiny stagger backwards; I went limp in his arms, head flopping down on top of the arm wrapped around my chest. This tactic had worked on Evanna before, and I could only hope it did now. I was rewarded with Mr. Tiny loosening his grip, staring down at me and I burst back into life, using his momentary lapse to wriggle out from under his arm, whip around and claw his face before bolting toward Harkat. I touched the Little Person on the arm and he came back to life; together we ran for the door and I grabbed my pack on the way out, dodging right past Mr. Tiny who was touching his bloodied face and out onto the street. While I did want to leave, this was part of the plan to see just how tolerant Mr. Tiny would be toward us in the long run. We were halfway up the street when I looked back and gulped. Mr. Tiny was standing on the sidewalk, watching us run with narrowed eyes. He took one step forward just as we rounded a corner.

"Faster," Harkat wheezed.

"Let me carry you," I gasped back. "I can run faster then you." The Little Person nodded and I scooped him up, pausing until his arms wrapped around my neck, holding my pack in place and then I ran. My bare feet dug into the sidewalk, carrying us along on the brink of flitting speed. I wanted to go even faster, but I couldn't, not when Mr. Tiny was following. The pack banged into my ribs with each step, and I was glad I had taken precautions. I had two bottles of blood inside, along with a bit of cash.

"He could have caught us already," Harkat said in my ear and clutched my back when I nearly careened into a pole, knocking aside several people.

"I know," I said. "He is probably playing with us." Then another thought hit me. "Did he take out your tracker?" I yelped.

"Tracker?" Harkat asked.

I groaned mentally. "This morning he found a tracker in my neck. I'm guessing you have one too. But I suppose we got in an argument too quickly." I gradually slowed and then stopped on a busy intersection, staring down the cars as they zipped past. "We are idiots," I mumbled. "Harrison was probably waiting for us to get separated."

"Go, go!" Harkat said and pounded on my shoulders. He sounded panicky and I saw what was causing his fear half a second later. Black cars with tinted windows were starting to mix in with the taxi's and all of them slowed just a bit when they passed us.

I shrugged Harkat off. "We need to get it out," I said.

Harkat tilted his head and screwed up his face. "Do it quickly," he said. "Then we can run for the highway and loose both them and Mr. Tiny."

I placed my hands on Harkats neck and thumbed over his skin, trying to find the telltale bump. After a minute of struggling I found it right under his chin; it wasn't as deep as mine which was good. I sliced into his neck and wiped away the blood once, only taking a second to flick out the tracker onto the ground. Harkat clapped a hand over his neck to stop the bleeding and stamped the tracker into the sidewalk. "Alright?" I asked and Harkat nodded. I hefted him back onto my shoulders and took off again, heading for the closest highway. The black cards went back and forth, but they seemed a little less organized then before. "We have the advantage this time," I said to Harkat. "We aren't freezing to death."

"And you have full use of your extra abilities," Harkat chuckled.

"I can't use them in front of Mr. Tiny," I reminded Harkat.

"And as I constantly remind you, how would he not know about them already?" Harkat questioned. "With all his power and knowledge it seems impossible."

"Why would he let us go then?" I countered.

"Why does Mr. Tiny do anything?" Harkat shot back.

"He is probably going to stick us in an impracticable situation that would certainly lead us to death and then save us. After that we will be suitably grateful and let him take us back," I said and dodged another pole that came out of nowhere.

Harkat snorted loudly. "That does sound like him. But I still think he knows."

"Well I'm going to take the chance that he doesn't," I said. The next street was thick with taxis and I disregarded the don't walk symbol flashing on the crosswalk and plunged headfirst into traffic. Taxis honked and I leapt over hoods, leaving handprint after handprint on the windows. I only stopped when I saw a black car pushing taxis out of the way, barreling toward us with a gun sticking out of the passenger side window. Then just beyond the car Mr. Tiny stepped out of a side street and stared at the black car. His fingers glowed and all four tires on the car blew out. I took off again, feeling his eyes rest heavily on my back until we went out of his field of view. Harkat got off my back and we ran at a slower pace. Non humans were watching our progress with bright eyes, and I could see a few of them urging us on, but always shrink back into the shadows when another black car zipped by.

"They are too afraid," Harkat yelled.

"If we get them to fight, Harrison's men don't stand a chance. Do you know how many werewolf packs are watching us now?"

"It's a bad idea," Harkat said.

I bared my fangs. "Mr. Tiny thinks our time with Harrison is going to turn us into sniveling pups. I for one would like to prove otherwise."

Harkat hesitated and then nodded.

I looked back at the black cars and a tendril of fear curled inside my stomach but I shoved it aside and stepped out into the street. Taxis swerved around us, but the black cars kept coming. And coming. Harkat stood beside me, back rigid. I could hear his harsh breathing, loud in the dead silence that had come over the street. When the cars were feet from us I jumped straight in the air, coming down onto the hood of one car. Harkat had leapt sideways and was chasing down another. I smashed the windshield and reached inside the car, knocking out the driver and snatching the gun in less then a second. Any fear I had previously felt was swept away in a wave of bloodlust. I snarled and leapt off the hood, ramming into the side of the car so hard it flipped onto its side and ground against the pavement. Another car hit the fallen one and spun in a wild circle, smashing off a pole and finally onto the sidewalk. A few werewolves gaped at us and I challenged them with my eyes, urging them to come and fight. One stepped forward but the other yanked him back into an alley.

"Shadow," a cool, brisk voice said pleasantly. "Its time to end the games, yes?" It wasn't Harrison but two of the nurses that had "tended" to Harkat and I at the hospital. In their hands they clutched cattle prods.

My feet froze to the street and I swallowed hard. My muscles had clamped up and I couldn't breathe, couldn't move to tell Harkat to run. Spots danced in front of my eyes and all I could see were the prods sparking as they came closer and closer. Out from behind one nurse back came the collar and then I was on my knees, head hanging down.

"You see Shadow, Harrison did break you," the nurses said in unison. "Look at you on your knees." They laughed and spark of anger filled me before vanishing.

Now I could see Harkat backed up against the car I had tipped over, his eyes wide with horror as another pair of nurses approached him. I twitched toward him, but couldn't get my legs to work. "No," I muttered. "No."

"Yes," crowed the nurses together. "Oh yes Shadow! You are coming back with us!" The collar clinked against the prods and their faces leered at me in triumph.

I swayed, trying to stay upright; I would not give them the delight of watching me faint. Under the illusions my wings were tucked as close to my back as I could get them and the dragon shivered on my chest, too scared to even move. Just like me. Shamed I lowered my head again and withdrew from the world, shutting down as quickly as I could to get away from the pain that was sure to hit in seconds. The collar hovered above my head and lowered toward my neck inch by inch until all I could see was the circle of metal with the cursed needle inside. One blow, one use of magic and both nurses and the dreaded collar would be destroyed, but I could not make my hands nor magic answer.

"A broken little dragon you are," a nurse purred in my ear. "Such a pity. Harrison expected much more fight out of you then this. But he underestimated his own skills I suppose." Then their voices faded away as I withdrew into myself completely, my eyes fluttering shut. But before I could completely go away another voice shattered the almost quiet, a voice so angry that entire armies would have turned around and fled. It was so loud that the onlookers clamped hands over the ears and the nurses winced, but it merely washed over me like a refreshing wave.  
"STAY AWAY FROM THEM!" The voice howled and every window shattered, the ground shook and the nurses tormenting both Harkat and I were vaporized in a shockwave of crimson light, leaving the prods and collar to hover in the air before clattering to the ground.

The collar hit my knees and rolled off. I flinched once; eyes locked onto it before a hand closed around the metal and lifted it up. The fingers glowed pale red, almost pink and I waited for them to latch the collar around my throat. But the metal started to melt instead, dripping onto the street where it sank into the concrete and vanished. When the last bit of metal was gone the hand wiped itself clean and tipped my head back, forcing my eyes to meet Mr. Tiny's. I flinched again, but blinked and shuddered, my muscles finally responding to my commands. I slumped backwards and brought my knees up to my chest, hugging them.

"Don't move," Mr. Tiny said and went to Harkat.

I had no intention of disobeying Mr. Tiny and watched dully as he stepped over debris to get to Harkat, crouching down next to him. Harkat curved away from him before nodding at whatever the magician said and grabbed onto his sleeve, following close as Mr. Tiny walked back over to me and lowered himself down. "I'm sorry," I said with a hoarse voice.

"I was in the wrong," Mr. Tiny said, shattering any notions I had about what I expected him to say. "I am not used to having others accompany me," Mr. Tiny explained, keeping his voice calm. "I do forget things that humans and vampires need. Taking you both with me was a snap decision."

'_Sure it was,' _ I thought sarcastically. "Uhuh,' I mumbled and jumped when Mr. Tiny patted me on the head.

"Now I will endeavor to take both your needs into consideration and halt unhelpful remarks if you two cease the charade that neither of you aren't affected by what happened," Mr. Tiny sounded stern but again the hint of something like concern in his voice made my stomach clench.

"Alright," I said cautiously. I wanted to believe with all my heart that Mr. Tiny truly cared and it wasn't just a clever manipulation, that somewhere the man I had come to care about still existed, but it was probably a futile hope.

"Ok," Harkat said.

"Now, let us go back to the tent and calm down," Mr. Tiny said and helped us upright. "We cannot miss the show tonight." He looked between us and again there was a flicker of worry, there and gone so fast I almost thought it wasn't truly there. "But I will work on solutions to your nightmares later tonight and in the morning." He snapped his fingers and the world blurred before we appeared back in the tent.

We stood outside the theater, Harkat standing as close to Mr. Tiny as he could and me almost directly behind him, holding onto a piece of his suit jacket. Both Harkat and I were still jumpy, but nowhere near as bad. Mr. Tiny had shoved food and drink (and blood in my case) onto us until we were both so full we couldn't protest much when he brought out heaps of board games I hadn't even seen in his tent before. Most of them were so complicated it distracted us from our fear and as the hours passed we calmed down to almost normalcy. When it was time to leave it took a bit of coaxing to hold onto him so he could spin us to a street next to the theater. I had the metal necklace back around my neck and its weight was comforting; the string was so long it occasionally brushed against the dragon. Harkat had a ring instead of a necklace and I had noted that there were far fewer runes engraved into his protection then mine.

"We have seats next to each other," Mr. Tiny said as we moved up in the line. "The Twins while nothing compared to me, are dangerous and may attempt to twist your minds if they figure out you are non humans." He pursed his lips and we shuffled forward a little more. "Previously I had intended to study them, but depending on how far gone they are killing them may be the only way." He paused to hand the attendant our tickets and resumed talking as we entered the cool theater. "The Twins are not naturals. Their magic comes from whatever cursed object they have acquired."

"Naturals?" I asked.

"There are two types of magicians," Mr. Tiny explained, shooting a keen look my way. "One type is like the Twins, drawing magic off an object. That usage comes with a heavy price of insanity. The other type is a natural, one who was born with magic or someone who awakens it later in life. Naturals are very, very rare." He rolled up his sleeve and I saw the tip of a red scaled tail before the sleeve came back down. "All naturals have a dragon adorning their skin, and the color usually reveals what element they are attuned to."

"You are fire then," I said.

"Indeed," Mr. Tiny said. "And you are very lucky to even catch a glimpse of the dragon. Most naturals are very protective of their dragon and rightly so. Until they reach an old age and are strong enough to protect it completely they can be violent towards anyone trying to make them show it off, even other naturals." He rubbed his arm. "The older the natural the stronger they are."

I resisted the urge to join in and touch the dragon that was half on my side, wrapped in a strange formation around my torso. "Oh," I said. "Are you the only one? Natural I mean."

"No, there is one other," Mr. Tiny said. "A female named Evanna."

I slyly sniffed the air as Mr. Tiny spoke and was pleased to find he wasn't lying. He didn't know about me yet. "Will we ever meet her?" I asked curiously. I was wondering if Mr. Tiny would ever take us to her. Evanna would probably see straight through me and see the illusions however. Mr. Tiny seemed to never look for things he thought weren't there.

"Perhaps," Mr. Tiny said enigmatically.

The line moved even further and finally we were being shown to our seats. They were surprisingly good; only three rows back from the stage and directly in the middle. The seats were comfortable, but had a strange tendency to lean back suddenly so I kept jerking upright. We had a few minutes until the show was supposed to start so I engaged Harkat in a hushed conversation that lasted until something that looked like smoke rose up from several rows of seats, including ours. The smoke poured out until the entire theater was covered in a grey haze. From the direction of the stage flashing lights of all colors moved around, forming odd shapes and then vanishing, only to reappear in a different spot. It was rather dizzying and I rubbed my eyes, trying to focus on anything up there. Harkat was having the same issue, but he was shielding his eyes to peer around the theater.

"_Illusion_," a voice purred and it sounded so close to my ear that I jumped and turned. But there was nothing there but another equally startled person. "_It dazzles the mind and fools the senses._" Now that I was listening harder I could tell that the voice was actually two people, speaking in perfect unison. "_Join us as we bend reality around a select few and bring dreams to life._" The Twins were speaking like I had at Harrisons, putting magic in their voices to weave a spell of compliancy around us. If it hadn't been for the necklace, I would already have been locked under it. _"Now we need two volunteers," _the Twins continued._ "A brave man and woman." _ From the crowd two hands waved and without orders the husband and wife stood up and walked up the isle past us. They looked completely blank and their steps were robotic, jerking slightly when they met a bump in the carpeted floor. When the pair reached the stage the smoke was blown away and I could finally see the Twins. The boy was dressed in a smart blue suit with a bowtie; his teeth were pearly white and exposed in a beaming childish smile. The girl had a green dress that flowed around her like water, and a pair of dance shoes. She wore an equally pleasant smile and the crowd ahhed around us. The Twins didn't look more then ten years old and in spite of everything, I doubted they were such a threat.

"Wonderful," the little girl giggled and clapped her hands. "Just wonderful! Step over here please on these two squares right here." She maneuvered the volunteers onto two carpet squares and turned to her twin brother, tapping her shoes on the ground. Her mannerisms were stuck between that of a young child and a middle aged woman, which was disturbing. Her eyes roamed the crowd, settling on people she obviously found interesting. Whenever her gaze threatened to go to our part of the crowd I lowered my eyes to my lap, pretending to be fiddling with a cell phone.

The brother rubbed his hands together and I blinked. A flash of black light enveloped his hands for a moment and then vanished into his sleeves. "What do you want most in the world?" He asked the couple, who were holding hands. For a moment he looked positively feral as he stared at the volunteers. He tapped his ear and the couple bent down to reach his tiny ear, whispering something into it. The boy paused momentarily and then the black light returned again, sliding up his hands like disgusting mud. Even untrained as I was I could feel the magic from where I sat and it felt dirty and plain wrong. "Sister do you want to do the honors or shall I?"

"You go right ahead," the other twin said politely. She flicked her brother on the nose. "I get to do the next round though!"

The brother stepped up to the volunteers and placed his hands close to their chests. The black light sank into their bodies and I had to grip the edges of my seat to stop0 myself from going up there and snatching the humans away. The air at the feet of the husband and wife shimmered and I gasped involuntarily. Three kids were sitting at their feet, looking up at the volunteers with giant smiles.

The woman put a hand to her mouth and tears shimmered in her eyes. "How did you know?" She asked. Her husband wrapped an arm around her shoulders and looked at the twins furiously. Neither of them seemed to appreciate the magic that had just happened.

"That is a cruel thing to do!" He shouted. "We can't have children!"

Both Twins looked apologetically at the floor and shook their heads. "We can't control what appears. I am so sorry."

The volunteers left the stage and were escorted out by attendants. The Twins looked surprised but they quickly reorganized themselves and walked up to the very edge of the stage. "We need one volunteer this time. A male, no older then forty." The girl studied the audience and her eyes rested on me like ten tons of brick.

My hand shot up of its own accord and my feet moved, carrying me past Harkat and Mr. Tiny, out onto the isle and up to the stage. Whatever magic had me only halted when I stood in front of the Twins, in front of everyone. I sent a look toward Mr. Tiny and he nodded; I could see one thumb glowing threateningly in the confines of his front pocket. Reassured I turned back to the Twins and they nudged me toward the carpet square. The girl approached me and placed a hand on my chest, looking deep into my eyes until I swayed.

"What do you want Darren Shan?" she asked smoothly. Her voice was impossible to resist and I leaned into it.

"To fly," I said longingly. "My wings."

The girl stiffened and then smiled winningly. Her hand glowed black and then a weight on my back made me look back. I knew it wasn't them, they were too shiny but seeing even a mockery of them was painful. A pair of feathered blue wings fluttered gently, spread out in front of the crowd, who gasped as one. I found I could even flex them myself and I did, sweeping them down and up like I would take off. They didn't have the power to hold me up, but I reveled in the feeling while it lasted.

The girl came up behind me, talking to my back so no one else could read her lips. "Darren Shan, we can give you everything. Come with us and those wings will be permanent. You will fly to the sun and back. That fat man you came with will not give you what you truly need."

I turned around and watched the girl hold out her hand, steadily walking backward. I shifted a step or two forward, reaching out a hand of my own to place in hers. But right before our palms touched a bright red light blinded me and I snapped my eyes shut. I felt the wings vanish and I let out a tiny sound of disappointment but I backpedaled from the Twins who were both facing me now and they looked a far cry different from the little, likeable children. Their faces were twisting into ugly, monstrous versions of themselves. The black magic was covering their entire bodies in a black smog; just as their eyes burned molten red I jumped off the stage, nearly falling onto the first row of seats. People were screaming and running toward the doors and I was trapped behind them as chairs jumped off the ground, flying toward the fleeing crowd. Chair legs hit people in the back at high speed and I couldn't see Harkat or Mr. Tiny as more people swelled up behind me, pushing me toward the doors that were refusing to open.

"DARREN SHAN!" The Twins howled in harmony and blasted aside another section of chairs, their eyes flitting over the humans.

I took the chance and looked back. Both of them were clutching what looked like small stones in their fists; I immediately started pushing back through the crowd. Those stones had to be the cursed objects giving them power. "I'm right here! Come and get me!" I shouted back.

The Twins whirled around and the black magic spread out from under their feet, stretching toward me like fingers. When the magic touched the crowd person after person fell clutching their chests in agony. But it when it reached me, the blackness stretching up my feet I stared resolutely at the Twins and did not react.

Every bit of magic I had was shielding me from the dark. If it wormed past my shields, my heart would burst. "Keep trying by all means," I said peevishly. I could see Mr. Tiny stalking behind the Twins, his face twisted with fury. In instant later I lowered my shields as his magic flowed over me. Then I charged the Twins, slamming into the boy at bone breaking speed. He cried out and we spun through the air, both fighting for control of the pebble. Our fingers scrabbled on its smooth surface and then it fell, skittering across the ground and under a pile of chairs. I lunged for it and closed my hand around the stone. The dark magic flowed on my hands, listening to see if I wanted it. For a moment I was tempted and then I wrenched my gaze away to stare at the male Twin.

He was on his knees, clutching his throat. "You can't…do…this…" he rasped. Behind him his sister was in a similar situation as Mr. Tiny held her stone above her head.

I hesitated then brought down the stone on the closest chair at the same time Mr. Tiny blew on the sister's stone. Both broke apart into a cloud of dust and the Twins screamed together. Their screams grew louder and louder until I clapped my hands over my ears. Mr. Tiny grabbed Harkat who had raised a chair above the pairs head and dragged him toward me, then clasped me around the middle and spun us away. We landed in a giant heap in the tent, breathing hard and I rolled off Mr. Tiny and Harkat. "What's going to happen to them?" I asked right away.

"Both will probably die from being ripped away from the magic," Mr. Tiny answered.

"They were just kids!" Harkat exploded.

"No. They used to be, but the moment they picked up those stones they were forever ruined," Mr. Tiny said.

I sighed heavily and brushed stone dust off my clothing. "What's done is done," I said softly.

Mr. Tiny nodded and moved into the kitchen where he poured a large glass of water and drained it. "Now, I do believe I promised to work on your nightmares. Stay awake if you want, or try to sleep it does not matter. I will see you later." He left for his room.

"I'm staying awake," I said right away.

"Me too," Harkat agreed and sat on the couch, flipping on the television.

I joined Harkat and he turned up the volume a few notches before turning to me. I had a moment of unexplainable worry before Harkat spoke, his words coming out so fast I almost couldn't understand him.

"Will you tell me about your magic?" Harkat begged, using the hum of the television to mask his words. "You are a natural, since you are nothing like those kids. I want to know so I can help you."

I dug my fingers into the soft couch and stared hard at Harkat, trying to sniff out if he had any doubts, or was being forced by Mr. Tiny at all. I saw nothing in him but his genuine want to help. "Fine," I said warily. "But don't expect me to show you my dragon."

Harkat grinned and leaned closer. "Of course I won't," he said pleased.

I smiled and opened my mouth, preparing to unload every bit of information I had, settling in for a long night.

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**R&amp;R please! **


	9. Chapter 9- Christmas Special

A.N. This chapter will still move the story along a bit, but it is more of a break for the characters to celebrate Christmas :D I hope you enjoy!

Have a Merry Christmas/Hanukkah!

"Watch out!" Harkat called from behind a mass of greenery and sharp branches. He took several steps forward and pushed the tree halfway into the tent, almost taking out a chair and knocking me over.

Needles flew everywhere and I sputtered, shaking what felt like never ending amounts out of my clothing. "I think we need to go back and get a smaller tree." I stepped back well out of the way and watched Harkat stubbornly maneuver the still tipped over tree into the middle of the main living space, sighing mournfully as more needles fell into my sleeping area. "Why did we wait until the middle of the night before Christmas to do this anyway?" I looked at the clock. Four more hours and it would be officially Christmas. The nightmares had abated little, so staying up the entire night was nothing new.

"Because this was the first day Mr. Tiny left for awhile," Harkat said, even though he had told me the same thing multiple times. "You know he would never allow this if he was here. Did you get gifts?"

"Yeah," I said. "Even before we planned this."

Harkat peered over the tree, and paused in his struggling to stand the thing upright. "Between dying, murdering people and running for our lives…when did you have time to shop?"

"I just picked up stuff here and there," I said sagely. "Here let me." I waited until Harkat was far back and waved my hand. The tree jumped slightly and then rolled sideways. I gritted my teeth and tried again and got the same result. I had gone so long trying not to use magic that controlling it had become very hard. I closed my eyes and concentrated hard, gently raising my hand in a broad sweeping motion. When I opened my eyes I was pleased to see that the tree was standing upright and in a corner of the room not right over my bed.  
"Ok now for the rest of the stuff," Harkat said excitedly and went outside, reappearing a minute later with a small mountain of boxes in various sizes and shapes. He sorted through them, taking out several and taking them back to his room. "Those you can't see," he said grinning. Harkat had split up from me to go shopping while I had picked up the decorations. Each time I pictured Mr. Tiny's frustrated face I had laughed and thrown something else into the shopping cart, so I had gone a bit overboard. For the gifts I had picked up dazzlingly bright wrapping paper of varying designs and some shiny ribbon.

"Holy lights," Harkat said and dumped out a medium sized box filled with hanging lights of different colors and sizes. "What are we going to do with all of these?"

I shrugged. "I figured whatever we can't put out here we can use on Mr. Tiny's giant bed."

Harkat smirked and ripped open a box of red lights, carefully unrolling them until the entire length was spread out across the couch and chairs. "Four hours," he said pretending to check a watch. "How much damage can we inflict?"

"A lot," I swore and grabbed one end of the lights. The aim was not to set up a perfectly decorated room. It was to express a couple of bored teenagers with too much free time and an urge to annoy someone who really shouldn't be messed with. Plus it had been a long time since I had celebrated a proper Christmas and even having it with Mr. Tiny seemed fine as long as he didn't set fire to the Christmas tree. After much wrangling with the couch I had the red lights wrapped around all four legs and running up the back with cleverly placed pieces of tape to hold the lights in back up. The lights all worked without having plugs to put the ends in somehow, which eliminated that problem. All the electronics here never needed charged. I ended the red lights by wrapping them around the arms of the couch, and stood up to see Harkat running amok in the kitchen with white and green lights of his own. He had cleverly wrapped the two strings around each other and was standing precariously on a kitchen chair to put them on top of the kitchen cupboards, wrap them through the fridge door and back across the floor to do up the kitchen table.

I ripped open another box, leaving Harkat to do the rest of the lights as he obviously was having way too much fun and grinned down at what was inside. Strings of bells were inside; not very many but just enough to provide entertainment. I tied one to the fridge door and one to the freezer so nobody could open it without making a racket. Then I put one each on the back of the kitchen chairs. We had promised to leave Mr. Tiny's room for the extras, and since there were bells left I snuck into his room and carefully put one bell on top of each post on his bed. I threw a Santa hat to Harkat and put one on myself then began to haphazardly throw ornaments on the Christmas tree, along with shorter strings of lights that flashed in patterns of colors. Under the tree I put a simple throw to put the gifts.

Harkat and I set aside any sort of rules after that and went completely nuts. Stuffed toys that you could press and make sing a song were scattered across every available surface and snow globes were set up on the highest shelves, their insides never ceasing to swirl because of the magic in the room. Tinsel we hung up on the ceiling, wrapping it around the supports on the ceiling. That took several tries because Harkat had to stand on my shoulders and he constantly fell off when we took a break to look around the room and started to laugh. The extra lights we took outside and ran with around the tent, higher and higher until we ran out. Nutcrackers of all sizes were posed in every doorway. Finally after pausing two hours later we set our sights on Mr. Tiny's room. Even though I had already put the bells on his bed we both paused in the doorway, uncertain if we should really dare to disturb the pristine and extremely _off-limits _area.

"What the hell," Harkat said after a bit. "We already got the rest of the tent."

"Besides it would be rude to leave his room out of it. And it would look a bit odd seeing as we did your room already," I said matter of factly.

"I agree completely," Harkat said and bounced into the room with an armful of decorations.

We lined up Nutcrackers on his dresser from largest to smallest and placed a nut in each of them. Tinsel and lights was wrapped around all the posts and run under the bed back and forth so many times it would take magic to unwind it without creating a tangled disaster. Like in the other rooms we put things on the ceiling, but instead of tinsel we made giant loops of thick ribbon and tied mistletoe to each loop. Then with great patience we grabbed bag after bag of stick on bows and coated the entire floor with them, only leaving a tiny path to the bed. When we finished and stepped back to admire our work it was with some surprise I saw we only had half an hour to Christmas. Harkat and I went back to the living room and sat down on the couch, staring around at what we had done.

"Christmas exploded," I said and burst out laughing.

Harkat snorted and waved as he got up from the couch. "I am going to wrap. See you in a bit."

I went back to my corner of the room and carefully dug out the gifts, setting them aside in separate piles for both Mr. Tiny and Harkat. It was hard picking out things, but I was satisfied with what I had chosen. For Harkat I had gotten a fancy set of daggers in a cool looking case and a giant box of chocolate pretzels. Mr. Tiny had been much harder but eventually I had settled on a carved wooden watch case with a velvet interior and locking capability. I wrapped only Mr. Tiny's gift in the horrible neon wrapping paper, choosing on tamer Santa paper for Harkat; but all the gifts got the bright ribbon. Then I stuck on name tags (just in case) and shook my head ruefully. I really needed wrapping lessons.

When I turned around Harkat was putting his gifts under the tree. I joined him and set mine under the tree too and then we both went back to the couch and watched the clock count down to midnight. We settled back into the couch, and the Santa hat fell over my eyes. I dozed off, only semi aware of the world and barely acknowledged Harkats drowsy "Merry Christmas," before I fell asleep completely.

The Santa hat flew off my head and I blinked sleepily at the yellow and green smudge standing in front of me. I rubbed my eyes until they focused and stared silently at Mr. Tiny who held both mine and Harkats hat in his hands. The clock behind him read eight and I was amazed I had managed to sleep that long without waking up screaming.

"I do not want to know what possessed you to…decorate," Mr. Tiny said. "But perhaps you could have gone without the tastelessly vivid tinsel?" He set the hats back on our heads. "Merry Christmas boys."

I yawned and straightened my hat before wobbling after Mr. Tiny to get a bowl of cereal. Now looking at the room I wondered why we had gone completely nuts. It looked like a Christmas store had blown up and the debris had been moved to the tent without sense or direction. Before I could even get a bowl out of the cupboard Harkat grabbed my arm and spun me around, marching me back to the tree and setting me down.

"No food before gifts!" Harkat said and went back to get Mr. Tiny.

I stared at the tree and a glimmer of excitement went through me. All of Harkats gifts were there, and mine too but there were also two more that hadn't been under the tree before. I looked up in time to see Mr. Tiny sit on the couch and wait with a patient expression on his face.

"Open this first," Harkat said right away and thrust a perfectly square package into my hands.

I slowly turned over the package and shook it in front of my ear. "Food?" I guessed and was met with a shaking head. "Ok then." I ripped off the paper and was left with a white box. I took the lid off and pulled away the tissue paper, gaping at the contents. Folded inside was a black leather jacket. I took it out and unzipped it, mouth falling open again at what was inside. Tucked inside the jacket, close to the bottom so I could flip them out if I wanted were two curved knives. I put on the jacket right away and zipped it up. "Thanks!" I said. The material was tough and would no doubt hold up to whatever I put it through; which would be quite a lot no doubt. I could feel the knives against my torso, but the way they were positioned meant they wouldn't cut into my skin.

I handed Harkat and Mr. Tiny 'their gifts from me and Harkat tore into the first gift. His face lit up and he shook the box before carefully taking the lid off and grabbing a handful of pretzels with a reverent expression on his face. He bit into one. "Delicious," he announced.

Mr. Tiny looked from me to the hideous wrapping paper and back. I shrugged innocently and he snorted before delicately pulling off the ribbon and wrapping paper. He turned the watch case over and over in his hands, much like he did with the actual watch before opening it and inspecting the inside. When he said nothing, and kept that blank expression I hated so much on his face I began to regret giving it to him. But a minute later he pulled his watch out of thin air and placed it into the case; snapping it closed and tucking it back into a pocket. "Thank you Shadow," he said and sounded like he meant it. "I did not expect anything."

I grinned widely. "Your welcome," I said and handed Harkat his other gift.

Harkat ripped it open and stared at the daggers for a long time before his mouth slowly fell open. "T-thanks," he said and took each dagger out one by one to study it separately. "They are almost too perfect for battle!" He exclaimed. When he reached the last dagger he frowned, more then a little confused. To him it appeared the weapon only had a handle and no blade.

"Press the button on the bottom," I suggested.

Harkat did so and his eyes lit up when the blade popped out. It was the smallest weapon, no more then three inches long but in a pinch it would certainly cause pain. Harkat tucked that weapon right into his pants. "I'll have to work on hiding the rest," he said. He went back to the tree and grabbed a package which he put into Mr. Tiny's hands. "Here," he said nervously. "Be careful it's fragile."

Mr. Tiny opened it with the same care he had given my gift to him and removed a set of crystal vials of varying sizes. All of them had blank labels; the largest was the size of my hand, and the smallest my thumb. He twitched a hand and the vials floated up in the air, coming to rest on a shelf on the tent wall, in order from largest to smallest. "Those will come in handy," he said in delight. "Thank you Harkat." He rubbed his hands together and two more packages flew into his hands. "Now for my gifts to you." His eyes were gleaming. The gifts were wrapped in two colors; one was silver and shone when you tilted it into the light and the other was dark blue. Mr. Tiny handed the blue one to me and the silver to Harkat.

Harkat opened his gift easily and took out the contents with an expression matching the one he had given the last dagger. It was a set of robes, matching the style and color he wore as a Little Person, but they were slightly tougher and to me, glowed red.

"Those robes will protect you," Mr. Tiny explained after realizing Harkats bewilderment. "There are protection spells woven into the very fabric. No weapon will be able to cut through that cloth."

"Wow," Harkat said and took off the necklace that provided his disguise. It was a bit of a shock to see him return to his normal form, but a relief too. He ran into the bathroom and changed. When he came back it looked like he had a red aura around him. "They are so light! Thanks!"

I stared down at my gift. It was tall and square, not too heavy and it didn't make a sound when I shook it. I tore the paper off and took the lid off the box, peering inside curiously. What I saw made my eyes widen and I took out the present with delight. It was set of hand claws. They were like gloves, but made completely of metal. I would be able to slide them on, and the curved claw pieces would settle over my nails, extending and protecting them. The underside was carved out, so if I had grown claws the metal would shield them on top. The metal glove protected my hand down to just past my wrist, with interlocking pieces of metal. I pulled them on eagerly and focused on the claws, testing them for any magic. Sure enough the entire thing glowed red just like Harkats robes.

"Those are terrifying," Harkat said.

Mr. Tiny laughed. "If you want the metal to take on the appearance of a fingerless leather glove just think about it. They will only respond to you." His eyes bored into the claws on my hands and I stared down at them.

I thought and thought, but nothing happened. Frustrated I shook my hands and imagined them just as Mr. Tiny had said and the metal tightened on my hand. I looked down and saw that they had changed.

"Practice changing them back and forth until you can do it instantly," Mr. Tiny said, looking pleased that I had managed to use the spell so quickly. "They will also cut through any material on earth so be careful."

"Thank you!" I said and switched the gloves back into claws; removing one so I could stroke the metal, memorizing the grooves in the curved weapon. I never wanted to take either the jacket or the claws off, ever. "I can't wait to try them out!"

Mr. Tiny smirked. "Not on the furniture."

"Wait," Harkat said and held out a corner of his robes. "Try cutting through them."

I frowned uncertainly but stood up and lashed out. The claws whipped through the air, connecting with Harkats robes and slicing down them. The claws let out a screeching sound and with a flash of red light we were both knocked backward several feet. I rolled over and over, coming to rest on top of my bedding, hitting my elbow on the secret stash of trinkets I had built up. I sat up and shook my head. "Let's not do that again," I said.

Harkat stared at his robes. There was not a mark on them. "Yeah," he agreed.

Mr. Tiny stood up and I saw him discreetly check on the watch case. "We are moving on from Las Vegas. Our destination is snowy, so dress warmly."

"Where are we going?" I asked excitedly.

"Somewhere less populated. I tire of people." was all Mr. Tiny said and disappeared back into his room. He out a loud curse and I heard the crunching of many bows meeting an untimely demise.

I burst out laughing so hard tears ran down my face. The necklace warmed around my neck and Harkat joined me in laughter until we rolled on the floor, listening to the obliteration of every single Christmas decoration in Mr. Tiny's room. When silence fell Mr. Tiny stuck his head out of his room and gave us a stern glare before retreating. That only set us off more until the tent lurched, effectively silencing our amusement. The wild movement sent us staggering across the room, me to my corner and Harkat to the couch. We held on tightly until the nauseating ride ceased. Together Harkat and I went to the tent door and pulled aside the cloth. Snow stretched out before us, ending in a huge lake that stretched out for a good ways, and then turned into forest.

I took no heed of the lack of shoes or coat I had on and stepped out onto the crunchy snow. Right away I lifted my feet up and bolted back inside, sprawling half in the doorway. Every single snow flake was calling to me. I could lift the entire blanket of snow up and bend it to my will if I wanted to. After I got myself reasonably under control I went back outside, reaching down to touch the snow with my fingertips, careful to make sure Mr. Tiny was not coming outside. The snow wound its way up my arm, curling around my neck and down my legs. Harkat watched with wide eyes and then he shook his head in disbelief. I let the snow whisk away in the sharp breeze that had come up and stared at the half frozen lake. This was my place, where water ruled and the sky was clear.

"Snow? Really?" Harkat said.

"And ice," I said. I had a few more moments to enjoy the freedom to use magic so I swept my hand through the air, drawing something in my breath that hung in a cloud. A tiny ice feather fell into my palm, shining with the sun. "This is going to be fun," I breathed as the necklace burned on my chest.

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R&amp;R please?


	10. Chapter 10-New Accommodations

**A.N. **

**Ansy: **Thank you! :)

** :** Yes, Desmond might have an idea of whats going on...or he could still be hoplessly oblivious

**obviouslyincognito:** Your Welcome! I'm happy you liked it.

**Someone: **I was thinking along the lines that Mr. Tiny's magic was so strong it changed Harkat so he could taste along with other things.

**Guest:** Here is more lol

**Tara. :** Yep Darren and Harkat decorating is like me and my sister too :P

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I almost punched Mr. Tiny in the face when his hand clasped around my shoulder, spinning the chair and I around. My hand closed into a fist and I brought it up, barely stopping in time. I lowered my hand and scowled at the magician who looked like he was the only one in the tent getting sleep. "What?" I said in a barely contained tone of voice. Behind Mr. Tiny I could see Harkat also somewhat at attention, but his eyes kept drifting shut then snapping open.

"I know I promised an answer to your nightmares days ago, but finding solutions to both of you will require things I do not have here. So I am leaving you in the hands of someone else until I am able to find the required ingredients." Mr. Tiny said all this before releasing my shoulder. "You will be more then safe I can assure you." The magician shed his usual coat and hung it on a hook before summoning a much warmer version out of thin air and putting it on.

"Who is it?" Harkat asked sleepily.

Mr. Tiny glanced between us before answering. "Harkat you know her and Shadow so did you before. Lady Evanna will be caring for you."

I glanced outside; the tent flap had been pulled back, exposing the wilderness of ice and snow. I frowned. While Evannas homeland hadn't been burning hot it certainly wasn't located in the middle of Alaska, and I doubted she would move her entire collection of poisonous frogs easily. I was not looking forward to this at all. Evannas temper was legendary and I dreaded ever being on the wrong side of it again. Telling her about magic the last time had not gone well at all. "She lives in Alaska?" I asked confused.

"No, but the closest portal to her home is located a few miles from here," Mr. Tiny explained. "Pack what you will need for a few weeks and bring it back here. We leave in twenty minutes." He threw us both backpacks and before we could ask about their size he added: "Don't worry; whatever you put in there will not be able to fill the bags." He sat down on the couch and crossed his legs, clearly done with the conversation until we packed.

Harkat and I went to his bedroom first and we scanned the belongings he'd picked up over time. Harkat immediately threw the chocolate pretzels and the dagger box into the backpack and then looked around. "I know you don't remember Evanna, so I will give you a quick run down and advice on what to pack." He looked deadly serious. "Evanna is a natural, and when she is on your side little to nothing will harm you. But if you wrong her in any way your life may be forfeit at the drop of a hat." Into the backpack next went three water bottles and two blankets. "Pack not like you are going on a vacation, but like you may need to run at any time."

I nodded and went to my corner of the tent, passing Mr. Tiny without a word. I didn't have much but I put everything into the backpack along with most of the blankets and two pillows and weapons. I grabbed every change of clothes I had and within each shirt I wrapped a bottle of Mr. Tinys blood, taking a couple sips out of one before packing it. When I was done I walked over to Mr. Tiny, standing in front of him silently until Harkat joined us. Without a word Mr. Tiny got up and walked out of the tent; I exchanged a look with Harkat and followed him out. I paused by the door and without thinking grabbed his jacket off the hook, stuffed it into my backpack and zipped it shut before going outside. Even though I had several layers on the cold wind was like a blast to the face and I staggered backwards a step. The weather was much worse now and by the clouds building I knew there was a storm coming.

"Come on!" Harkat yelled and grabbed me by the arm, pulling me along until we caught up to Mr. Tiny who was walking almost unnaturally fast.

We jogged after Mr. Tiny and soon I was sweating in the thick clothing and I shed layer after layer until I was down to two shirts and the coat. After awhile I was seriously wondering what Mr. Tinys definition of a "few miles" was. We had already skirted along the edge of a frozen lake for two miles at least and now we were entering a forest where the trees pressed together so tight we had to squeeze between them. The moment I went into the woods completely I felt like it was another world. The lake faded away behind us and the crisp snow turned into a slushy mess that soaked my shoes and the bottom half of my jeans. Harkats robes were in a similar state, but Mr. Tiny was unaffected. The only thing that didn't get wet was the gloves I wore, the special ones Mr. Tiny had given me for Christmas. Even when I put my hand on a wet trunk or pushed aside a branch they stayed warm and dry. Several times I felt like someone, or something was watching us and I would spin around to be met with nothing but darkening forest. I could tell why Evanna had put a portal here. It would be easy to hide and if someone came in here looking for it, they would need exact directions or become hopelessly lost.

"Have you ever come to Evannas this way?" I asked Harkat.

"Nah, but she has so many ways in that it's no surprise I haven't seen this one," Harkat replied. He rubbed his hands up and down his arms, shivering.

I agreed wholeheartedly with the Little Person. The clouds moving in had brought in more wind and it swept through the barren forest with a vengeance. We were both walking behind Mr. Tiny in an attempt to use him as a windbreak. "My feet are numb," I muttered.

"I haven't felt my face for the past hour," Harkat said.

I laughed and nearly crashed into Mr. Tiny when he finally stopped between two trees that had twined around one another, reaching toward the sky before bending off in different directions. It was the oddest tree I had ever seen and I was not at all surprised Evanna had stuck a doorway to her house here.

Mr. Tiny crouched next to the tree and spread his watch in a large arc in front of him, clearing the slush down to dirt. Then with his pinky he drew strange symbols into the ground with no visible pattern or order. The last symbol was much larger then the others and it shone dark green, spreading the color to the other designs on the ground. When the color was properly spread around Mr. Tiny stood up and placed his palm on the bark of the larger tree, muttering something under his breath before pulling back and turning to us with a cheerful grin. "Place your palms where I did boys and I will key you into the wards."

I gulped, remembering the last time Mr. Tiny had put me into wards. I tentatively went up to the tree careful not to step on the glowing symbols and put my hand on the tree. Right away red light flowed over my hand and I was stuck to it. But this time the light did not spread down my body and Mr. Tiny didn't ask any questions; he only waved his hand and a brief tingling sensation went up my arm before the magic released me. It went the same for Harkat and when the Little Person stepped back a doorway sprang up from the ground, similar to the ones Mr. Tiny made except rounder and tinted green.

Mr. Tiny put his hand back on the tree and then jerked it back, staring at his palm with an inquisitive expression. His eyes fell on Harkat and I and then he smiled. "I need one last thing before we part ways," he said quietly.

I took a step back, not liking the strange light in Mr. Tiny's eyes. "What?" I asked.

Smirking, Mr. Tiny took one step forward to match mine and pressed a thumb against my forehead and then Harkats.

Mr. Tiny's skin was so cold it burned and I tried to twist away but all my muscles refused to move. I couldn't even open my mouth to scream or move my eyes to follow Mr. Tiny as he turned his head to look at Harkat and then back at me, his gaze staring into my frozen one. "Your dreams," he hissed.

If I had been able to speak I would have howled, but as I could not I was forced to stand in horror as red light enveloped Harkat and I and then vanished; the ground fell out from under our feet and I blacked out as my head passed Mr. Tiny's boots.

I sat up and flung silken blankets off my legs, flying off the bed and too the door before I took in my surroundings. I was in Evannas cave; and I had been laying on one of her many couches. Harkat was sitting up on the couch opposite mine, staring around with tired confusion. It took a moment to figure out why I felt different. I wasn't tired. The weariness that had dragged at my body for weeks was gone and I felt like I could conquer the world. The cost of the dreamless sleep however was something I was not ready to pay. By now Mr. Tiny could have browsed our dreams at his leisure and now, now he would know. I balled my hand into a fist and slammed it into the cave wall, splitting open my knuckles. The blood dripping down my knuckles wasn't enough and I dug my nails into my palms, claws slicing through the gloves Mr. Tiny had given me. Why wasn't I dead or locked up somewhere in a dark hole?

"Stop!" Harkat shouted and grabbed my hands, forcing my fingers to relax.

"He knows," I panted. "He knows." I was shaking harder then I had in my entire life. It had been bad enough when the other Mr. Tiny had found out, but now a man that was unpredictable and frequently sadistic had the knowledge.

"Calm down," Harkat said and pushed me onto the couch; ripping lengths off the blankets to wrap around my knuckles and palm. "Think hard. Do you actually use…" he paused and cast a quick look around. "It in the dreams?"

I frantically ran through every horrible dream I had, but it was hard as there were so many and they all blended together. "I don't know! But my wings are in there for sure!" I whispered.

"Wings mean nothing," Harkat reassured me.

"Those types of things aren't exactly on the every day half vampire!" I said.

Harkat nodded. "True, but if he knows about your wings it could divert him from thinking about magic."

"Or it could make him investigate further!"

"We will figure out what to do when we know more," Harkat said after a minute. He frowned. "Why are your wings in the nightmares?"

In the hours I had stayed up with Harkat, telling him everything I had not found the will to tell him about my ruined wings. Neither had I gone on about the dragon in great detail, but he knew basically everything else. He knew my signs of loosing control and what to do. "No reason," I said quickly.

"What did Harrison do?" Harkat asked.

I looked up and then immediately down, staring at the spots of blood soaking through the silk, unable to look at Harkats worried face. "Nothing," I lied.

Harkat gripped my shoulders and I flinched. "Shadow, tell me."

"Gentlemen!" A cheerful female voice said. Darkness fell over us as Evanna stepped into the room, running her eyes over us appraisingly. She looked the same as always with her customary ropes wrapped around her body, and a wild nest of hair that probably would not be tamed by any ordinary comb. She raised her eyebrows at Harkat who released me and scooted backwards quickly. When her eyes fell back on me they narrowed speculatively but luckily there was only curiosity instead of anger in her expression.

I stood up and hovered next to Harkat, facing Evanna between the two couches and looked at her feet.

"I see you have already shredded two of my belongings," Evanna sniffed and snapped her fingers. The silk Harkat had wrapped around my hands flew off and I winced but the bruised and bloodied skin sealed over even as I flexed my wounded hands. The blankets stitched themselves back together with no sign they had ever been torn. "Desmond has instructed me," Evanna sniffed again and looked decidedly unimpressed. "Too take care of you two. One Little Person and an amnesiac." She sighed heavily. "I have never aspired to be a babysitter…" Evanna turned and walked out of the room and we followed her, straining to make out her words as she gestured to different rooms; giving me the same tour she had before. When she finished she stopped so fast we had to duck around her. "Now let me make a few things very clear. You will not interfere with my business with either vampires or vampaneze. I am neutral in all matters with both races and while you are under my roof so shall you be. You will not bring animal products under my roof and if you must hunt do it outside the wards." She eyed me. "Shadow your supply of blood will be the only exclusion to that rule. I know Desmond left you both here so he could fix your nightmares, and I understand your plight but I will not tolerate insolence."

"Ok," Harkat and I said at the same time.

Evanna nodded and led us back into the kitchen. "I have never seen my father so keen to do anything for another creature besides himself. You two must have gotten under his skin somehow." When she said the last part her gaze once again fell on me and I wondered if she would reveal I was Mr. Tiny's son but she stayed silent.

"Well I got captured by Harrison, met Shadow and he drained a guard of their blood in front of Mr. Tiny," Harkat said ticking off stuff on his fingers. "Then we almost froze to death and Mr. Tiny saved us. Another time-"

"I understand," Evanna said. "I will leave you to do as you wish as I have business to take care of. Do try not to destroy anymore of my belongings." She vanished, leaving behind the faint scent of pine. She reappeared with a burst of green light and added: "Your rooms are straight back down the hall and on the left. There are connecting doors. Fight over which one among yourselves. I expect you to be unpacked when I return." She vanished again.

I flew down the hallway with Harkat and opened the closest door. Harkat moved on to the next room and I barely saw the widening of his eyes when he went in. The room I went into was small, but cozy with a hammock in one corner and a side table. On the table was a lamp that for its size shone remarkably bright. Most of the wood floor was covered in multiple rugs of all sizes, shapes, colors and softness. The walls were pale blue with runes engraved along the bottom of all the corners. A dresser, empty wall shelving, a desk and chair, and a closet completed the main room. I opened the closest and was surprised that it was walk in, complete with a shoe rack, and more hangers then five people could ever use. The same type of rugs was on the floor in here too, and at the back wall was a full length mirror. I left the closest and my eyes widened. The wall shelves had filled with books and sitting on the bed was my backpack and another small case no bigger then my hand. I left the room and went into the other.

Harkat was standing in the middle of a circular room, complete with a twin bed, side table on which an ornately carved lamp shone soft light over the room. The walls were dark green and the same runes were carved into them. There were no books on his shelves, but instead jigsaw puzzles, wooden boxes with pieces sticking out of them and other contraptions that looked very complicated to put together properly. His floors were bare except a rug running the length of his bed. His bag and another box just like the one on my bed was there too. I opened his closet and found one similar to mine but his was squarer instead of long. The same mirror was there too.

"No fighting?" I asked Harkat after leaving his closest.

"Nah," Harkat agreed.

I went back to my room and noticed that the rug next to the hammock was a perfect match for the one I usually slept on in Mr. Tiny's tent. It was softer and fluffier then any rug I had ever seen before. The other rugs meant nothing to me and only seeming to be tailored to my favorite colors and textures. I put the backpack on the desk and took everything out; starting by taking out my shirts and unwrapping each bottle of blood. I lined the bottles up inside the closest, using the shoe rack since I only had one pair of shoes to put on there. When I finished with the clothing I stashed my weapons all over the bedroom: under my rug, tucked into the hammock, in the closest and desk drawers. During my unpacking the gloves had fixed themselves and I removed them, sliding them carefully into a drawer of their own and placed a wisp of magic over the drawer to dissuade anyone from looking in there. The rest of my stuff I stuffed in other drawers, but at the very bottom of the backpack my hands closed around something that I had not put in there. I withdrew the item; a tattered book with a note written in the front cover. Kurts name and number. I stared at the scrawling red letters for a long time. I had promised Kurt a ticket to a show when life returned to normal. Now I wondered if I would ever get to make good on my promise. I thumbed through the pages of the book carefully; some of the pages were burnt and torn, and others had stains that when I sniffed turned out to be blood. I gently closed the book and set it in the same drawer as the gloves. The puzzle of how the book had survived and made it into my bag would have to wait. I reached back inside the pack to make sure nothing else was there and my fingers brushed across something soft.

I pulled out the thing and recoiled, throwing it far away as I jumped backwards. A long blue feather floated slowly toward the floor, the tip red and sticky like it had just been dipped in blood moments ago. I caught the other end before it stained the rug and held it up to the lamp, shuddering in revulsion. It was one of my half grown flight feathers. Even though it had been separated from my wings a long time ago the blue color still flowed like water, constantly shifting and changing shades. I brushed a finger along the non bloodied part and a shiver ran up my back, disappearing under the heavy illusions. When I placed it too in the drawer next to the book and gloves I slammed the drawer shut, running a hand through my hair. There was no way Mr. Tiny could have put those things in there. He had no idea about the book and at the time hadn't known about my wings either.

"Shadow," Harkat said from the doorway. He sounded shaky.

I turned around and even though his disguise was off I could see the Little Persons skin was paler then usual. "Did you get some unpacked objects too?"

"Just one," Harkat said evenly. He brought a hand I hadn't even noticed was behind his back out and I grimaced in sympathy. A long piece of green string dangled from his fingers, almost touching the rug.

I sighed and opened the drawer again, only taking out the feather. Harkat wouldn't remember the book and I didn't want him trying to call the number. I held the feather close to my chest before turning around; I only remembered I hadn't explained about my wings when Harkat almost dropped his string.

"What is that?" Harkat demanded.

"One of my flight feathers. It wasn't fully grown yet."

"Something happened to your wings. What was it?" Harkat asked.

"I can't tell you yet," I said. "I know that I saw what happened to you in the hospital, but I also know that they did a lot more then that. Are you ready to tell me everything? I don't think I will be anytime soon, or that you will be either." I lowered my gaze to the cushy rug and my shoulders slumped.

Harkat sighed and nodded. "Alright," he said. "How did you find out other stuff happened there?" He asked suspiciously.

"You scream sometimes," I said.

"Ah," Harkat said. "So do you."

We stood in gloomy silence, Harkat holding the string and I holding the feather before we both turned away to finish our rooms. I held the feather for another minute, stroking the unbroken part; feeling the answering itch on my wings before lowering it into the drawer and shutting it. I had tried so many times to heal my wings, and in so many ways that I had given up. But now, feeling my wings still responding to a feather that had been ripped off weeks ago a tendril of hope was growing. I smiled and locked the drawer with magic once again. One day I would rip Harrison apart, with my wings fully intact. I wanted to stand in front of him and let him know I had done it.

I went back into the living room, or at least I guessed that's what it was and sat on the couch holding the newest box. A note was attached, telling me not to open it until after Evanna had returned. So I nestled back into the blankets and began a wait that could take hours.

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**R&amp;R Please! :3 **


	11. Chapter 11- The Meaning of Hate

**A.N. I apologize for any errors. My writing software is being glitchy. I looked it over in doc manager, so hopefully it is all good! **

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When Evanna appeared in the living room hours later with a Little Person in tow she did not look in the best of moods so I quickly set the box on the floor and scooted it under the low couch. I had plenty of experience with her wild anger and did not want the contents destroyed. Evanna shooed the Little Person off and it shuffled away with the usual robotic movements Harkat used to have. The moment the Little Person was gone Evanna wrapped a hand around the collar of my shirt and pulled me off the couch, holding me in the air until my feet couldn't touch the ground. The instinctive movement I made when she tossed me down was to throw a hand over my face and while embarrassing, it shocked Evanna into pausing. Her face softened and with a rueful sigh sat on the couch opposite me.

"Desmond was not joking when he said you two were disasters," she murmured.

I stiffened in defiance but could not deny what the witch had said. I lowered my hand and sat on the couch, poised at the edge in case Evannas mood shifted again. I had nothing to say, instead staring at the floor. It was odd to think that I trusted the man Mr. Tiny was now more then Evanna. He was forward with what he thought, never hesitating to make his feelings known. He had saved us multiple times, and though his ulterior motives were dark he had for the most part kept us unharmed if you didn't count my death. But Evanna tended to keep her feelings locked up inside until they exploded out of her, harming anything and everyone in her way if they were negative. Her scent was so distorted and confused I was already having problems figuring out if her calm was genuine or if she had just stuffed the anger down.

"Go and fetch your friend," Evanna said and got up. "Dinner will be ready in five minutes."

"Why is the other Little Person here?" I asked carefully. The servant of Mr. Tiny seemed to be normal enough, but his skin burned with red fire, unusual for one of them. For all I knew the Little Person _was _Mr. Tiny and the magician had just pretended to go off on a venture to help us. It had been hours now, plenty of time to look through our dreams and tear through every bit of information they offered. Maybe he wanted us to suffer through more nightmares to gain more knowledge. If I was right about Mr. Tiny my wings would be a puzzle he would want to solve.

Evanna cast me an odd look and then answered. "Because Desmond wishes it to be. And if in the unlikely event my wards were somehow breached the Little Person would be able to whisk you away."

"Oh," I said. I stood up and shuffled past Evanna, only half putting on the act of a contrite, slightly terrified boy and it worked. She turned away uncomfortably and I escaped to Harkats room. I had no choice but to leave the box there as the note had said to keep it away from the witch. I had scanned it with my magic extensively and there seemed to be no magical object inside. Like the Little Person the box glowed red so I guessed the sender was Mr. Tiny. "Harkat," I called; knocking on his door. Something inside slammed and then the door opened.

"What is it?" The Little Person asked.

I told him what Evanna said and then moved aside so Harkat could exit his room. He shut the door behind me with a click and followed me down the hallway. I followed the smell of food and before long the winding hallways gave way to a large kitchen with an open dining room at the side. The large table was ornately carved, with the chairs in the shape of several creatures. Evanna sat at the head of the table, in a chair carefully made to look like a dragons head. I took a seat at her right, shifting in the grasp of a wooden wolf that was half curled around me in a laying position. Harkat took the snakelike chair and then half a minute later the Little Person appeared, sitting at the other end of the table in the only un carved seat. Food appeared on china platters and I spooned heaping amounts of pasta, bread and salad onto my plate. I had taken a bottle of blood with me and I poured some into a glass before capping the bottle and sitting it on the floor; out of the corner of my eye I saw Evanna cast a faintly disapproving look my way but it was gone so fast I might have imagined it. Only the Little Person did not serve himself and sat silently, his face well hidden under the hood.

"What about him?" I asked Evanna, gesturing to the Little Person with a fork wrapped in spaghetti.

The witch looked up and frowned dismissively. "It will eat later." It appeared she had no tolerance for the Little Person.

"He could be hungry?" I said in concern.

"_It_ can wait," Evanna said in mild annoyance.

Harkat shot Evanna a furious look which the witch ignored.

The Little Person turned his head toward me only a fraction but I felt eyes staring at me from under the hood. I stared into the blackness under it and then deliberately grabbed an extra plate and began to put some food onto it. When the plate was full with a healthy portion of garlic bread and pasta along with a small salad I put it all in front of the Little Person along with a glass of water.

"I told you it can wait!" Evanna hissed.

"Nobody should have food withheld from them," I spat back in resentment, gripping my fork tightly. The metal began to bend in my grasp but I had no will to loosen my grip. The Little Person suddenly began to glow much stronger and after a few seconds it did not fade; I had to look away to keep from hurting my eyes.

"Traveling with Desmond Tiny may have given you a false sense of importance Darren Shan but that will not get you far in my home. How you abide by my rules will influence how you enjoy your stay!" Evannas voice was deadly soft, but the sound thundered in my ears.

I stood up; pushing back my chair at the same time Harkat dropped his knife and fork onto his plate with a clattering sound. "What is that supposed to mean?" I practically growled.

"Neither of you are invincible just because you travel with that man!" Evanna snapped.

"We are not pretending to be!" Harkat yelled his palms flat on the table. I could see his arms shaking and guessed he was trying to keep from lashing out.  
"Both of you are like scrappy puppies following around their owner in lovesick admiration because he saved your hides!" Evanna said.

I slammed back the chair further and it crashed into the wall. I was shaking too, from breathless fury. I was so mad I couldn't think of any proper reply besides sinking my teeth into the witch's flesh. Fortunately Harkat wasn't as inhibited and he reeled off impressively.

"Shadow-and that is his name now-has no memory! The only thing he knew was pain and Mr. Tiny saved him. I think that deserves some sort of gratitude! And Mr. Tiny though he is a right bastard saved me too and even though he is cruel and inhuman he has kept both of us alive and away from Harrison! Neither of us follow him because we are lovesick or spelled, we go with him out of our own choice!" Harkat slammed his fist down on the table; his finger had been up and pointing accusingly at Evanna. "You cannot begin to imagine what happened at Harrisons and if you think we will let you bully a Little Person just because they are different then you are a fool. Hell knows we had enough of that already."

Evanna scraped her knife and fork clean and then set them on her plate crossing one another before answering in a deadly calm voice. "Shadow, I heard you used to possess the ability to fly?" Once again her temperament had swapped out so fast I couldn't handle it.

The Little Person who had been staring at his plate snapped up his head and stared down the table at Evanna.

My shaking worsened tenfold. "Y-Yes," I mumbled.

"And that your wings are now damaged?"

Harkat shot me a look, his eyes full of sympathetic horror.

"I…" I trailed off.

"It would be a pity if the cure were to suddenly disappear," Evanna said simply and folded her napkin.

The floor felt like it had just dropped out from under me. All the air whooshed out of my lungs and the collar was back around my throat. I wheezed loudly and I knew I had to look pale as the white china plates.

Evanna got up and daintily waved her hand. All of the food was wiped off the table. "Then it is clear where you stand." She vanished.

I clutched my throat and fell to the floor, trying to suck in air that would not come. My mouth opened and then Harkat was at my side, grabbing my arms and patting me on the back. He was saying something but I couldn't hear him over the roaring in my ears. The witch had the answer. She could make me fly. But she wouldn't because I had broken one of her rules. Spots danced in front of my eyes and then I was falling backwards, toward the Little Person who had gotten up from the table now, still glowing like the sun. The Little Person smacked me across the face and the stinging pain shocked me into pulling in a rattling breath. Then I was gasping more air and breathing. The collar vanished from around my throat and I leaned against the wall, shaking.

"That was a terrible thing to say," Harkat said and pulled me into a rib crushing hug. "We will find the answer ourselves," he vowed.

The Little Person got up; apparently satisfied I was no longer having a panic attack and stared at us silently.

"We can't," I said hopelessly. "I've tried so many times Harkat. Nothing works."  
"Evanna has to have magical stuff lying around if Mr. Tiny does. One of those has to help," Harkat said determinedly.

I tried to hold the hope Harkat was projecting inside me but it leaked out faster then I could put it inside. I nodded and plastered a smile on my face to pacify him but inside I was curled up in that dirty cell. Harkat led me back to my room and I sat on the hammock, gazing at the Little Person blankly.

"I suppose we are going hungry tonight," Harkat said and sighed.

The Little Person reached inside the large pockets of his robes and laid out rolls of varying breads on my desk. The food kept coming and I wondered how on earth he had managed to sneak that much food without anyone noticing. When his pockets finally came up empty there was a small mountain. He turned to us and tilted his head questioningly.

I jumped off the hammock and hungrily snatched up two pieces of garlic bread and a large roll. Harkat left and returned with a few bottles of water he had stashed. He handed one each to the Little Person and I grabbed another roll after stuffing one in my mouth. Half the water bottle went down at once and then I looked between the hammock and the rug that had served me well in Mr. Tiny's tent. With almost no hesitation I sat on the rug and spread out on it, laying the food out before digging into it with gusto. The Little Person took one roll too and sat on another rug. Harkat joined us half a second later and we ate silently, united in our defiance of Evanna. When we were done eating three quarters of the food were gone. I divided up the rest and handed one third to the Little Person and then Harkat took another half to hide in his room. I hid the rest in my desk and in the closest. Unfortunately I had lost an entire bottle of blood so I was down to seven now. I opened the first and drank a quarter of it before making sure the rest of the bottles was more hidden now.

"Good night," Harkat said anxiously. "Will you be alright Shadow?" His eyes searched mine but I stayed guarded.

"Of course," I said cheerfully. But the moment my friend left the smile dropped off my face and I sank onto the rug with a sigh. The Little Person didn't make a move and I watched him before speaking. "You could stay here if Evanna didn't make a place for you," I offered. The bright glow had faded from the Little Person after we'd eaten. I wasn't surprised when the Little Person shook his head and stiffly moved from the room, closing the door behind him. I grabbed a pillow from under the hammock and tucked behind my head, wrapping several heavy blankets around me before closing my eyes. I would have to put on the act of sleeping at least. I rolled onto my stomach and thought though the rug was just like Mr. Tiny's it didn't seem quite right in the bedroom.

I forgot all about the box under the couch until mid-morning. An array of food had been left on the dining table for us and both Harkat and I feasted for an hour on crispy bacon, eggs, toast and pancakes. It was only when we went back into the living room to explore that I saw the corner of the box peaking out from under the couch. I reached under and grabbed it. The package looked undamaged and I took it back to my room, carefully hiding it from Harkat. My thoughts turned toward the Little Person who had not been around since last night and I hoped he hadn't run into Evanna. I sat on the rug and pulled off the purple ribbon, feeling a tingle of magic on my hands before the four sides of the box fell apart to reveal another container. It expanded rapidly to about the size of a kid's lunch carton and I recognized Mr. Tiny's magical signature for sure. Another note was inside and I read the curly writing, a small smile tugging at the corner of my mouth.

As both of you neglected to open your package after dinner I will assume something dire prevented that.

Enclosed is something that may or may not help you with the nightmares. Do not hold me responsible if the contents fail to work. After you try the "experimental" solutions write a simple yes or no on a piece of paper to convey if they worked. If your mental capacities are working other information would be helpful. I will receive the note and act accordingly. I will keep sending items until you discover one that works. Once your minds are soothed I will return.

-Desmond.

P.S. Each item is made for you and you alone. Testing each others treatments is a good way to get very sick. The body makeup of a half vampire and a Little Person are very different.

A small bottle appeared and the note vanished out of my hands in a puff of smoke. I coughed and waved it away before picking up the glass bottle. The liquid inside matched the purple box and when I sniffed it I got the faint scent of Chamomile and lemon. Small pieces of herb could be seen floating inside. A thrill went through me at the idea my sleep could be undisturbed tonight.

Harkat burst into the room and waved around a bottle of his own, but his was filled with black liquid that moved sluggishly in the glass. "Mine looks like utter crap, how about yours?" He asked.

I smirked and held up the bottle. "It's not bad," I said delighted.

"Not bad? Mine looks like poison and I bet it tastes like vomit!"

"If only we didn't have to wait the entire day," I sighed. "While tiptoeing around Evanna."

"That food she left out for us suggests that maybe she is in a better mood," Harkat said.

"Have you seen the Little Person today?" I asked pointedly.

"Well, no," Harkat conceded.

"Come on," I said getting up. "I'm not going to wallow around all day. Let's go see if the Little Person is buried in the backyard." I left the room and walked down the hallway, through the living room and kitchen and then stepped gratefully outside. The air was cool and a light blanket of snow covered the ground, except by the small pools were Evannas frogs rested. There the water steamed and the frogs sat in and around the miniature ponds. I stepped through the snow gingerly, and sat by one of the pools, careful not to step on any frogs. "Give me a moment," I told Harkat and sniffed the air. Pine forest, frog and water flooded my nose but I filtered through them, searching for the Little Person. I got a whiff and shot upright. "This way!" I exclaimed and took off, weaving around frogs to the side of Evannas home. I rounded the far side of it and saw the Little Person sitting against a mossy stone staring into the distance.

"Are you ok?" Harkat asked, going over to stand in front of the Little Person.

The Little Person took awhile to move but when he did it was to make a slow nod. He stood up and took his place next to us, waiting to see what we wanted to do.

"What are you two doing out here?" Evanna sniped, once again not mentioning the Little Person.

I jumped and whirled around. Evanna was standing just ten feet away watching the proceedings critically. "Nothing," I said calmly. I sniffed the air again; making sure it was subtle and delved into Evannas scent. Her emotions were tangled, but I pressed on, deeper and deeper until I could just catch the faintest tendrils of thought.

"We were checking on him," Harkat said with only the faintest trace of annoyance and pointed to the Little Person.

"No matter how much I disagree with my father I do not murder his slaves," Evanna said coolly.

My eyes were half shut as I searched for the reason Evanna had so much anger directed toward us. I was close to the heart of the problem I could tell, as I followed a dark trail of thought deeper into her mind. When I found the actual thought my stomach lurched.

"But you don't have to treat them like human beings, do you?" Harkat shot back.

I listened to the thought over and over and bile rose up in my mouth. I wrenched away from Evannas mind so violently I staggered backward and fell, my hands hitting the ground inches from a frog who looked at me balefully. There would be no reaching out to Evanna and offering apologies for however we had offended her. She hated me for one simple reason: I existed. I was alive again and the risk for the Lord of the Shadows return had come back. She hated Harkat and the other Little Person because they were a reminder of Mr. Tiny and his plans to no doubt shape me back into what he wanted. For whatever reason she was unable to kill me and I could tell that irked her. Honestly I couldn't blame her for hating me, but that didn't make her treatment any less easy to bear.

"Leave it Harkat," I said quickly and got up; the frog I had almost landed on plopped into the water, sending pond muck across my shoes. My friend didn't seem ready to back down so I grabbed him by the forearm and bodily dragged him across the snow, the Little Person following behind. Only when we were out of earshot and gaze of the angry witch did I spin Harkat around to face me. "She hates us," I snapped. "There will be no getting through to her at all. Our best option is to keep our heads down and avoid her as much as possible. She may feed us, and keep our comfort level relatively high but she wants me dead. She wasn't joking about my wings."

Harkat scowled and turned to go back toward the witch but I grabbed him again. "Let me go! She has no right!" He hissed.

"If we want to make it until Mr. Tiny comes back then I suggest we leave her alone," I said.

"We can just write him a note and tell him what's going on," Harkat said quickly and marched inside the house.

I followed Harkat to his room and sat on the bed, watching him scramble around for paper. The Little Person had vanished to wherever he went to stay out of Evannas way. "Why would he listen?" I said. "You said yourself last night he is cruel. Likely he won't come until our nightmares are truly gone. And we both know he will figure out if we are lying instantly."

"But I know he doesn't want us dead," Harkat said.

"Which won't happen. Evanna knows she can't kill either of us. If she gets physical we can flee, but I don't think Mr. Tiny will listen to us," I said patiently.

"If we run we leave the Little Person at her mercy, and I can't do that," Harkat said.

I ran a hand through my hair and shook my head. "I never said we had to leave him. He can come, but we can't force him too. Besides if we left him behind then we loose our only connection to Mr. Tiny."

"Okay," Harkat said. "Then we pack again, but leave a little bit out so Evanna doesn't think anything of it."

I nodded. "We only run if it gets too much. Harrison is still out there and like it our not at least Evanna can't kill us. Harrison has no such restrictions." I left Harkats room with that final sentence and held the bottle in my hands, rolling it up and down my palms over and over. I stared at the wall thoughts bouncing around my skull until I none to gently set the bottle on the side table. It seemed neither I nor my friends would ever be at peace. Thrown from bad situation to bad situation it was a never ending chain. For a time under Mr. Tiny's care there seemed to be the start of a new beginning, but it was all a thin wall around us while Harrison walked the earth. And Evanna was right to hate me; I could feel the hatred inside me, ready to spring to life and consume my soul once more. There was a real possibility I could become the Lord of The Shadows and complete Mr. Tiny's old plans. My magic and newly mixed species status seemed to be diluting it for now, but I had no idea if it would last. I thought back to the warning I had given Harkat. If I ever changed, if he saw my eyes flash, my wings spring into view then he had to run and keep running. Because if the illusions ever fell it would be because I had no more control over my magic. During that time I would not bother to tell the difference between friend and foe, even more so if I changed in anger or fear.

I sighed and slumped back against the wall, sliding down to sit on the rug. I had less time then ever now to tell Mr. Tiny the truth. A physical pain had settled over my wings, and a constant headache made it even harder to concentrate on my eyes. To make matters worse I had woken up with a feathery tail which only added to the strain. I would not be contained much longer and I did not want to loose the illusions without my say so.

Harkat came into my room after a soft knock and sat on the rug with me. "We should wait together," he said. "Less chance of Evanna catching someone alone."

I nodded but didn't say a word. I set my bottle in front of me and Harkat did the same; then we stared silently at the drinks. Our solution could be resting in the bottle. The nightmares could be cast away forever tonight and I would never have to worry about sleep again. But a tiny thought in the back of my mind kept telling me that making the nightmares leave through magic wasn't truly dealing with the problem. "How do we know this stuff won't turn us into something like a rat?" I asked skeptically.

"We don't," Harkat said.

"That is extremely reassuring," I joked.

"I suppose we have to put our blind trust in him," Harkat said.

"Trust? Maybe. Blind…no," I said and turned my head toward the door. Beyond it I caught a snatch of the Little Persons scent from where he was pressed against the closed door. "Definitely not blind," I sighed.

"We'd better hope he wasn't bored while making this," Harkat sniggered.

"Why? Does the chance of being turned into something unmentionable rise then?" I asked.

"Substantially," Harkat said.

I grinned evilly. "You should see what happens when _I'm _bored."

Harkat chuckled and put his arms behind his head and laid down, catching the look I sent him. "I suppose you two do have the same thing going on in that department."

I laid down too and smiled to myself. I had dropped a hint for the Little Person at the door. Whether the man himself was listening, I didn't care. Every scrap of information would no doubt be passed on to him anyway. Perhaps if Mr. Tiny figured it out through vague ideas he would "learn" of it when I wanted him too, but still be able to act like he didn't know. Then he could sneak around and gather all the information he wanted slowly, without being bluntly told and having to react quickly which could make him lash out.

"Yep," I said for the extra benefit of the Little Person. "I definitely do," I laughed and Harkat joined in. Our laughter carried us for a long time, traveling through the walls, past our spy and to Evanna who was no doubt pondering how to accidentally do me in.

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**R&amp;R Please? :-)**


	12. Chapter 12- Cuffed and Bound

**A.N. **

**Thank you for all of the reviews! Yes, Evanna is being rather out of character right now but her role in the story will change several times. That doesn't mean she will ever come to terms with Shadows return though. ;)**

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I ground my teeth together with the effort of hauling the huge rock to the other side of the wards. My muscles burned and my legs wobbled over the icy ground, feet threatening to slide out from under me. Harkat was in a similar state next to me, but he hefted a wheelbarrow full of smaller rocks that kept falling out. Both of us were covered in dirt, ice and snow. Bags hung under our eyes and most of our unsteadiness was from lack of sleep. However, I did not dare lower the rock for a rest with the witch watching us with burning eyes. The thing Mr. Tiny had sent done absolutely nothing for me besides making my breath smell like herbs. Harkat had vomited several times over the course of the night and ran a slight fever until mid morning. Now two nights later our situation had gradually gone from annoying and slightly hazardous to downright miserable. Each night had been met with a new bottle of disgusting stuff to try and all of it had failed; most of the time it made one of us sick for hours.

The Little Person was confined to the house and all attempts to sneak him out for fresh air had been met with anger. He had moved into our rooms too, taking turns sleeping in them each night so Evanna couldn't say he was keeping us even more then the nightmares already did. The bright glow had not been seen since the first day, and while I had wondered about it for awhile the curiosity was buried under a heap of other worries.

Harkat had his disguise necklace stripped from him under the pretense that Little People should not be hiding who they are. He had been wearing it to most meals to enjoy the taste of food. His robes were filthy and torn but Evanna would not give him the materials or a bit of magic to mend them.

I had given up wearing shoes after they were ripped to shreds by the many thorny plants and soaked through by ice. My pants held on only because Evanna thought it would be too disgusting to have me running around in boxers all the time and my shirt was tough. Not that I would have let that happen; I would have fashioned something out of the many rugs on the floor. Her hate of me was constant, a heat that I could feel burning into my skin whenever she looked at me.

Both Harkat and I had new adornments on our wrists that were more problematic then anything else we had gone through. A metal cuff on each of our wrists that no matter how much we slammed bent or bit would not come off. Each cuff had unique runes on them and mine was silver while Harkats were bronze. The excuse to put them on me was when one of Evannas vases had toppled and shattered on the floor while both Harkat and I were in our rooms. Evanna had snapped and ranted about how she would not tolerate clumsy teenagers and snapped the cuffs on before we could do anything. While that would have been annoying enough, the skin around and under the cuffs were hurting in different ways, growing progressively worse as the hours went on. Harkats had started as mild itching and had grown into blisters that were slowly going up his arms. I had begun with a slight itching too, but now my skin was rubbed raw, bleeding in some spots and burning. Our conditions were up to our elbows, but this morning they had only been to mid forearm. The other side effect for us was that I could not use magic, and Harkat was having trouble breathing. He wheezed like other Little People did without their mask, but his was on constantly. I could feel the magic, but it was sleeping. It didn't feel quite like the collar, but it was close enough that I was angry beyond belief.

Evanna constantly gave me meaningful looks toward my back whenever I passed her and every time I had given her the delight of paling. But now with the afternoon wearing on, I kept a blank mask as I lifted rock after rock. I was quickly loosing every bit of restraint. I could break the bracelet cuffs and unleash every bit of magic I had with sheer fury, but by this point it would be wild and uncoordinated. I could kill Harkat, the Little Person and Evanna when I only wanted to restrain the witch. Whatever I could do to her as revenge would be outclassed by Mr. Tiny in every way.

"Faster," Evanna snapped when I slipped and nearly fell into one of the many pools.

I grunted and hefted the rock a little higher; walking three more steps before setting it down in its rightful place. That was the last rock and there couldn't possibly be anything else to do. I had a thick line of bruises up and down my jaw that made speaking painful. That had happened when I actually had fallen onto a rock this morning.

"We're done," Harkat said in a level voice and set the wheelbarrow down with a clunk.

Evanna whipped out a shovel and threw it at me so fast I barely had time to bring up my hands to shield myself from the handle. As it was the metal part sliced into my thigh and I was brought to the ground in agony, twin bolts of pain shooting through my ribs and leg. She had hit the dragon. A groan of pain escaped and I narrowed my eyes, forcing my body to obey my commands and stand up. I used the shovel as a cane and glowered at Evanna while blood stained my pant leg and trailed down, dripping out from under the hem of my jeans. The water in the pools started to splash around, and I gripped the handle until a cracking sound could be heard.

"Shadow!" Harkat said and moved toward me but the witch snapped out her hand and sent him careening backwards.

"Don't you touch him," I snarled and tried to limp forward but my leg gave out and I fell again.

"Go to your rooms," Evanna said and let Harkat pass her.

Harkat lifted me under the armpits and helped me up; together we staggered into the house, leaving footprints of blood that we would no doubt be cleaning later. The Little Person came around just as we walked into the living room. Right away he came over and held up my other side. We made it into Harkats room and my friend laid me out on his bed. Crimson leaked onto his bed sheets but he just ripped a pillowcase free and tied it around my thigh tightly, drawing a pained groan from me before probing my side. He shot me a look just as the Little Person came closer. "Darren she hit you on your leg. Why are you bleeding here?"

I looked down at my side and winced. A gash of equal size was on my side too, bleeding just as heavily. "It's an echo," I panted. I tried to sit up but a fresh wave of blood and a rush of dizziness made me slump back down. "I am going to _kill her," _I said with deadly seriousness. All bets were off when someone messed with my dragon. "I will rip her apart!"

Harkat instantly knew what was going on I could tell, especially when I started uttering death threats. He began to slice apart my jeans around the gash and I let him work. I could feel the dragon now on my other leg, injured and shaking. I had none of the magic to heal him now. "Harkat it's an echo," I said insistently, trying to make him understand I was hurt in a way we could not fix easily. Technically I had three wounds. Part of the shovel had hit me on the leg and that was bleeding. But the other half had hit the dragon on the ribs and now I was bleeding there too. And then the actual dragon was hurt.

The Little Person pushed me down by the shoulders and then started tearing strips of his robes off until they looked like a short dress. He fashioned the strips into a long bandage and began to wrap them around my ribs tightly, putting extra padding from the pillowcase on the wound. I felt like a coddled baby when Harkat wouldn't let me help on my leg, but was grateful because I was shaking just as much as the dragon.

"Oh," Harkat said finally and by the shine of worry in his eyes he knew. "Any ideas?"

"Kill her?" I suggested hopefully. "She…she…harmed-"

Harkat jumped over and clapped a hand over my mouth before I could say "my dragon." Only when I sighed and nodded did he remove his hand and continue working on my leg. When everything was finished I had a large bloody stain on my side, and the bandages had been placed underneath. My jeans were ruined and I was not going to be able to walk back to my hammock.

"We are going," Harkat said after piling the rest of the blankets on top of me.

"Where would we go?" I asked, digging my hands into the blankets to try and help my uncontrollable trembling. "How would we even get out? I'm sorry but I don't think I am going to move anywhere at high speed."

Harkat turned to the Little Person. "Has your Master ever been watching us directly? Do you have a way to get a hold of him besides taking us somewhere else? Are you able to send information to him?" He asked.

The Little Person shook their head, paused and repeated the motion for each question Harkat had asked. "Not…able…to….move…you," the Little Person said hesitantly. He sounded shocked to hear his own voice. "Only…if…wards fall."

"Damn," Harkat said. "And you are sure Mr. Tiny hasn't been watching us?"

"Yes. He…always…looks at…our…memories," the Little Person explained.

"Crap, crap, crap," Harkat muttered.

"Run…" the Little Person said evenly.

"What?" I said startled. The Little People hardly ever offered their own opinion.

"Go...my…Master…will…find…you," the Little Person said.

"What about you?" Harkat asked.

"I…will make my…own way..." the Little Person said.

I spoke up finally, sounding like the Little Person too as my teeth chattered. "Will you…be able to contact Mr. Tiny to let him know…what happened?"

"Yes," the Little Person said simply.

"There is still the problem of us," I said reluctantly. "I can't go very fast. And with these cuffs…it's even worse. Harkat, you can't carry me with your breathing the way it is." I could feel the cuffs burning into my skin, the marks trailing past my elbows now. My entire body felt hot now, and I wondered if the magic in them was making me sick just like Harkat. "But if we can get…to the river then maybe…we would…have a chance." The water would supercharge my body for a short time, or at least I hoped it would. There I could use the extra strength to remove the cuffs.

"There is a river?" Harkat asked.

"Yes, about a mile to the south," I said. "I could sense it when we arrived. It seems to be a pretty big one too, and if we can float on it then we could make miles without lifting a finger."

Harkat scratched his chin and frowned thoughtfully. He seemed to be running an idea over in his head. "Tomorrow morning," he said addressing the Little Person. "Could you create a diversion? Nothing that would keep you from getting away too, but something that would draw off Evanna for a few minutes. I highly doubt our condition will get any better by day. If you can give us just a bit of extra time we can get to the river."

The Little Person nodded and I could smell a bit of excitement from him. "Yes," he said. "I shall." \ Harkat looked at me and I could see a frightened determination from him and I dreaded what he was about to say. "Shadow, in order for Evanna to leave us alone the rest of the night you need to make her so angry she goes. Stand up to her. Back talk put on as much attitude as you can. We need as many hours as we can get to rest and for your body to heal."

"What if she snaps and kills me?" I asked pointedly. "Anymore… serious bodily damage will put a stop to… our plans."

"You said yourself something is keeping her from doing that. She hasn't so far so I don't think she ever will no matter what. Somehow I don't think she meant for the shovel to do that much damage." Harkat sent me a sideways look. "Besides I've seen how she looks at you when you're not looking. I think somewhere deep down she is frightened of you. Why else put the cuffs on?"

"I don't know how to scare a witch," I said.

"Embrace the…other thing," Harkat said. "Bring out all your anger and trust me the job will get done. I've seen you angry and it's a sight that would make armies turn back!"

I smiled and then it faded faster then it had come. "To do that I would have to… you know."

"Do it. Whatever it takes," Harkat said right away.

My wings itched and I bared my fangs slightly, startling both the Little Person and Harkat. "Agreed," I spat. "Do it now?"

"You can barely stand!" Harkat gasped. "I didn't mean…"

"I know."

"You don't have to!"

"I know."

"Then why?" Harkat asked.

"Because I refuse to be bound. Our freedom is not conditional. No one has the right to cuff us and think they can get away with it," I growled. The shaking had finally eased and I was filled with purpose. I leveled my gaze at the Little Person. "I know you will share your memories with your Master when you find him but make sure you tell him about the river too, even if you don't see us there. Our condition may be too serious to meet him anywhere."

The Little Person nodded and stood up, moving to stand by the door.

I wobbled out of bed and Harkat grabbed a short cane out of the closet for me. I placed it under my arm and limped toward the door. My bleeding had mostly stopped, but I knew my ribs would not heal until the dragon did. "Be careful," I warned. "Maybe I can come back from the dead but I don't think you can."

"Noted," Harkat said and walked right behind me, like he was prepared to catch me if I fell.

The further I walked the straighter my back became until I was barely using the cane. Each halting step sent red hot bolts up my leg and side, and my arms burned but I refused to lean too much. Evanna had to see me as a threat straight off. I was quickly becoming an expert on emotions and I knew how to make fear so strong the person would never bounce back fully. I could smell the witch in the living room and each foot I placed toward her made the anger roil up inside so strongly my fangs ached. I wanted to kill her. I wanted to tear into her flesh and rip it apart until she learned the pain my dragon was going through. When I stepped into the doorway of the living room I saw Evanna had summoned a TV and was watching it. With a burst of angry magic the screen was reduced to static and the witch turned around to see all three of us standing there. The Little Person kept walking and only stopped when he was on the other side of the room; probably to get a good image for his memories.

I let the cane drop to the floor and only placed a hand on the doorframe for support. "You will not mistreat us anymore," I said firmly.

Evanna narrowed her eyes and turned on the couch so she was lounging on it with her feet off the ground. "Really?" She purred.

"Yes," I evenly. "You will stop threatening all of us. The cuffs will be removed and there will be no more harsh actions. No withholding Harkats necklace."

"Uhuh," Evanna said doubtfully. "And what exactly makes you think I will listen to the petty demands of two teenagers?"

I clenched the fist that was leaning against the door and the TV let out another burst of static. My eyes narrowed. "What makes you think I am a weakling? You have called me that since I got here. Yet I came back from the dead!"

"Twice!" Harkat added helpfully.

" How do you know I am not stronger then you?" I leaned forward and my wings struggled to burst free. "Can you honestly say that?" I pressed on her fear of the Lord of the Shadows.

"Yes I can," Evanna said but there was a flicker of doubt in her eyes.

"Really?" I purred, mimicking her tone. "_You are scared of kids Evanna. That's why you cuffed us." _My voice wound through the room like a snake, sliding into the witches mind and planting the idea there slyly. "_In the back of your mind you see the power don't you. You know I could rip apart everything you hold dear without breaking a sweat!" _

Evanna cut off my voice with a shout. She stood up, chest heaving and brandished the TV remote at me. "Prove it!" She called. "If you are so powerful prove it boy!" She seemed raised up when I did not immediately respond. "PROVE IT!" She yelled.

I smiled wryly and planted my feet firmly into the ground. Out of the corner of my eye Harkat sidled backwards a few feet. I relished their fear and drew on it, chest puffing as I inhaled a breath. My lips pulled back, exposing fangs dripping with saliva and with a gusty noise of assent _roared_.

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**R&amp;R please? . **


	13. Chapter 13- Evannas Folly

**Thank you for all the reviews!**

**:D**

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The roar went on and on, shaking the furniture and rattling the many objects Evanna kept on shelves. The base sound was that of a dragon's furious call, the same one that had sent shadows fleeing; but I had also mixed in the howl of a wolf to shake things up and add a bit of disguise to the sound, so neither Mr. Tiny or Evanna would figure out what species it was right away. The end result was a haunting sound that bled through the walls and spilled out into the forest beyond. Even though I was the one making the roar, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I was stating my place in the world as an alpha predator.

Evanna slumped to the ground in a state of shock and the breath finally left my lungs completely. Gradually the room fell silent and the furniture stopped rattling. Right away I grabbed Harkat by the arm, spun him around and pulled him, limping back down the hallway. Though Evanna was stunned into silence, the fury I could feel building inside her was frightening and I knew there would be no waiting until morning. We had to run. Now.

"That worked!" Harkat said, trying to slow my brutal pace back to the bedrooms.

The blood dripping from newly opened wounds did not slow me as I wrenched open the door and threw open my desk drawers. "We have to go!" I said urgently. "That will work for all of five minutes and then we are dead!" I ripped the drawers all the way out of the desk in my haste to pull the contents on. I snapped my gloves on and flexed them twice, once to test the claws snapping out and then to make sure they went back in smoothly. "Go!" I hissed. "I won't faint in the minute it takes you to pack!" I snatched Mr. Tiny's jacket off the closet inside hook and wrapped both the feather and book inside it before setting all three things at the very bottom of the pack. Harkat left the room, finally understanding the danger we were in. I tossed clothing, blood bottles and everything else haphazardly into the bag, groaning as my leg and torso were stretched beyond what they should be. The anger I could feel in the other room was building like a storm, growing beyond all human proportions. I snapped open the bedroom door again and was met with the Little Person. I brushed past him, wobbling dangerously as I swung the backpack over my shoulder and slammed into Harkats room. He was almost done, and was zipping the back just as I burst in. "We have no more time," I informed him.

"Okay," Harkat said and wrapped an arm under me and we made our way down the hall. Right before the exit came into view the Little Person went another way, casting one last look at us.

"Good luck," I told him and with that we went our separate ways. We spilled out into the evening light and stumbled toward the edge of the wards toward the back of the house. I could smell the water and I held onto its power even as my head sagged toward my chest. Harkat dumped me on the ground and I barely had time to protest before he was back with the wheelbarrow, now empty. He heaved me inside, wheezing loudly and pushed me faster. The wheelbarrow bounced crazily over rocks, sticks and almost a few frogs. I let my head fall back and watched the sky zip by, ignoring the blood that had seeped through my bandages and was now collecting slowly on the bottom of the wheelbarrow. Another thought occurred to me and I struggled to sit up but ceased all movement when the wheelbarrow threatened to tip again. "Did the Little Person see our cuffs?" I asked urgently.

"I don't know," Harkat gasped. "We were wearing long sleeves and you didn't take off your shirt to get bandaged. So I doubt it."

The wards shone ahead, but at our backs I could feel the rage following us. When it suddenly shifted and began to move I banged on the side of the wheelbarrow. "Go! Go! She's coming!" I caught sight of the Little Person dashing down the lawn about fifty feet to our side and ahead; at the same moment the wheelbarrow caught air. I went flying out of it and landed hard, screaming in pain. The Little Person whipped his head around and tripped over a rock, also landing brutally and didn't move.

"Come on!" Harkat screamed and dragged me along until I got up and staggered after him, leaving the wheelbarrow behind as the wheel had been bent almost in half.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the Little Person get up and shake his head blearily before running onward. He got to the wards first but I saw him standing just outside them watching us. The anger moved again and I felt it step out into the light. Behind us Evanna came into view, her body more wolf then human and she meandered toward us lazily, her fangs dripping with drool. I didn't look back after that and kept running, taking two regular steps for every three dragging, limping one. The wards flashed green around us and then we were spit out. The water scents shocked my nose and I fell back. Evanna was running full speed now and the Little Person had vanished. I pulled Harkat back and placed my hands against the wards, pushing the last bit of magic I had into it. I made the wards solid as a brick wall and sagged backwards. In saving our lives from Evanna I might have condemned us to a slower death by the cuffs. I had no more extra magic to get them off with now.

Evanna skidded to a halt inches from the wards and we stared at each other through them, her face lit up with green. Then she turned, snorting and started back to her home. It appeared she was too lost to notice that I had messed up the wards.

The rest of the way to the river we basically rolled down a hill right into it. The water soaking into my skin did help the pain, but I knew my magic was too locked to take real advantage of it. The only thing I could do was warm the water ever so slightly around us so we didn't freeze. We floated in silence for a while, until the forest gave way to large clearings and then finally farm fields. I stretched out my arm and steered toward the bank and waited until Harkat pulled himself up and helped me onto the grass.

"I think you need to make an image for yourself," Harkat said after a few minutes of silence.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Mr. Tiny is the all-knowing psycho. Evanna is the temperamental warrior. Both of them can walk into a place and hush the room with a glance." Harkat leveled his gaze at me while I struggled to sit up. "What are you?"

I shook ice clumps out of my hair. "They can quiet the room because they present their magic so openly. I don't have the luxury of doing so."

"Why not?" Harkat asked. "What is really stopping you? Harrison would be obliterated off the face of the earth if you chose to stalk him with all your power. Mr. Tiny and Evanna, even though they are completely bonkers would not kill another natural. Harrison thinks you are weak. Evanna thinks you are evil recarnated and Mr. Tiny…well who knows what he thinks. Don't you want to put an idea of your own choosing in their heads?" Harkat smiled challengingly. "Drop the illusions. Let your freak vampire-dragon flag fly free. If you are waiting for the right opportunity then do so, but don't let anyone dictate when you use magic."

It was a tempting idea, so tempting that my wings nearly flew free that second. "The perfect time," I said thoughtfully. "Mr. Tiny must know something is up. That means he might not come get us right away and try to investigate under cover." I stretched and got to my feet, careful not to put too much weight on my leg. "I am kind of bored," I said after awhile.

"So what do you want to do?" Harkat asked slyly.

"If Desmond Tiny comes, which he know doubt will then we will manipulate the manipulator," I said.

"What if we get into a fight?" Harkat said.

I smiled grimly. "Then no more hiding."

Together Harkat and I stumbled across barren farm fields, keeping up a brutal pace even though we were both starving and tired. We had to put distance between Evanna before even thinking of stopping. Harkats breathing hadn't gotten any worse, but it wasn't getting better either. At one point, when we had stopped to take a drink I had gone a little ways away to roll up my sleeves and wet the burns on my arms. What I had seen made me quickly pull my sleeves down. Dark purple lines were running up my arms, and I guessed that if I had chosen to remove my shirt they would have continued further. Now two hours later it was quite an odd feeling to sense that your body was sick. I could feel my body shutting down bit by bit as the cuffs magic did its work. For some reason being cut off from my magic was making me sick now, a completely different reaction then to the collar.

Every car that passed on the lonely roads I sniffed carefully as it passed. Even though my sense of smell was greatly diminished I would still be able to feel Mr. Tiny's magic. But the sun set without any sign of him. Eventually Harkat was mostly carrying me as I had lost too much blood and a fever had set in. Whenever my friend stopped moving the ground lurched sideways rather violently and I had almost thrown up several times. When we saw a barn in the distance we agreed silently to head for it.

The barn was filled with horses of varying sizes and colors. The loft was mostly filled with hay but Harkat carved out a niche in the back and hauled me up to it. The place was very secure as someone would have to climb the ladder and walk the length of the loft to find us behind a wall of hay. Harkat formed two beds out of hay and laid me on one. He carefully removed stuff from my backpack and put two spare shirts over my body which had begun to shiver again. When he offered me blood I turned my head away and clamped my lips shut. The thought of eating or drinking anything made bile come up in my throat.

"Its been days since you've drank," Harkat said and pushed the bottle closer.

"No," I croaked.

"When Mr. Tiny does come you will be attacking him," Harkat said.

I smiled wearily. "Well then we will know its him right?" While Mr. Tiny was smart he was also painfully predictable at times. I knew he would come incognito and probably pretend to be a doctor or something similar so he could offer medical help if needed. If anyone found us in the loft it would have to be him or the owner of the property.

"If you don't drink you will get even sicker," Harkat said worriedly.

"Take…care of yourself," I said.

"The cuffs are making you sicker then me," Harkat said. "I am fine."

I shook my head, hay crinkling under my ears. "It just might be affecting you slower. Tomorrow you could wake up suffocating."

The night wore on and the moon shone brightly through gaps in the wood slats of the barn. After awhile I noticed something rather alarming. The magic was draining away from my illusions rapidly and I wasn't able to hold onto it for other uses. At this rate my dragon, wings, tail and eyes would be exposed in less then an hour, along with anything else that had developed at Evannas. I told Harkat, loathe to disturb the Little Person out of the doze he had fallen into, but the moment I said what was happening he crouched next to me, probing the air around my shoulder blades.

"Will you be yourself?" Harkat asked after a careful examination of the air.

I shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. I might be, but then again…" I sighed. "More likely I will be mostly human, but my personality along with my looks might be more animalistic."

"Ok," Harkat said taking the bad news in stride.

A wave of terror overtook me and I shuddered. "I don't want you to see my dragon!" I panicked. "You can't! Mr. Tiny can't! Nobody is allowed!"

Harkat patted me on the shoulder. "Calm down. Just tell me where you keep the dragon normally and I will make Mr. Tiny stay away from it."

"My right leg," I said before another problem arose. "My wings…" I said. "Neither of you can see them either!" The shame of anyone looking upon them, ruined and torn into strips would destroy me.

"I don't think I can help that if they are so big," Harkat said slowly.

"_Please_!" I begged.

"You know what happened wasn't your fault. Both of us had no control over what happened. I would never harm your dragon or wings and neither would Mr. Tiny even if he is a creep," Harkat said.

I tried to let Harkats words sink in. "Ok. Just help me take off my shirt please. My wings will try to burst through otherwise." The removal of my shirt was more like ripping it off but I didn't really care. The purple lines were crisscrossing my stomach, arms, collarbone and heading for my heart. The bandage the Little Person had made for my ribs was stained red and the lines headed under that too. Harkat did his best to replace the bandages but there was little he could do. The dragon was sent to my leg, as far down as possible and the entire time it moved was torture as it dragged the pain in a burning line down my body as it went. When it stopped the pain settled around my knee. The entire process took twenty minutes at least and I kept my hands balled into the hay. "Harkat can you see if there is a mirror or anything I can use as one? I want to see what I look like," I pleaded.

It took Harkat another ten minutes to return and when he did he held a small handheld mirror. It was cracked and covered with dust but a quick wipe fixed half the problem. I carefully put the mirror next to me and waited with my friend for the illusions to fall. I was scared, excited and curious all at the same time. For weeks I had kept myself under wraps and now I had little idea of what I actually looked like. But until the cuffs came off I would not be able to hide anymore; I would have to rely on Mr. Tiny's temperament.

"You…have…to run if I am…dangerous," I groaned. The pressure building on my back and on my eyes was almost unbearable but there was no more pain.

"I won't leave you."

"Promise me!" I said.

Harkat hesitated and then nodded.

My body snapped upright of its own accord and then I shook wildly, nearly smashing the mirror with one flailing foot. My vision turned blue and then I was weightless, but my muscles cramped spastically. One after another the illusions cracked and shattered; the first to fall was the one around my wings and then the others collapsed. I slumped back to the hay mattress; feeling feathers gather around my arms and opened my eyes.

Harkat was staring at me with undisguised astonishment. He mutely handed me the mirror which I took after staring at him warily.

I tilted the mirror until it got nearly my face in view and stared. For a moment I couldn't process it so I took a step back and viewed it like someone else was looking at me. The boy looking back had dark blue eyes with yellow slitted pupils, both narrowed in bewilderment. His hair color was the same, but blue feathers of varying light shades were scattered in his hair, concentrating at the back to brush the nape of his neck and his ears, which were pointed like an elf's. Behind him I could see his wings, torn into strips of worn feathers; most of which were stained red and bent backwards. The boy's fangs were also the same, but the rest of his front teeth had sharpened into slight points. I tilted the mirror down and gaped at the tail resting across the boys lap. The feathers on it were pale like in the boy's hair but they alternated shades within the feather itself, flowing like water on top of a calm lake. The tip of his tail had a plume of long dark blue, almost black feathers.

I slowly lowered the mirror. My tail twitched uneasily and I whipped it around, nearly hitting Harkat in the face before curling it up behind me.

"Are you alright?" Harkat asked.

I tilted my head and stared cautiously at the Little Person. After a moments consideration I deemed him a non threat and nodded.

"You were glowing blue," Harkat said and scooted across the floor to give my wings more space. He had not once looked at them.

I nodded again, unsure if I even remembered how to speak English. I licked my lips and noticed with some surprise that my tongue had become forked like a snakes. I nodded.

"Are you completely Shadow?" Harkat asked.

I frowned. I was still Shadow; I had not changed my identity in the last minute. So I nodded again with some confusion. A noise outside made me tuck my wings up the best I could and whip around, tail tip twitching. Someone was entering the barn and by the scent they were very angry.

"Is it Mr. Tiny?" Harkat whispered.

I sniffed again and shrugged. The scent did not match the man Harkat was asking about. I shook my head.

"Stay here," Harkat said sounding out his words very clearly. He got up and left our den in the hay.

I would have followed to protect my pack-mate but I was too weak, so I took stock of my new looks quickly and noted that while my dominant features were dragon my eyes and teeth shouted wolf. Dragon fangs were much bigger. The blood was still lying on the floor and I eyed it grudgingly. My stomach was rumbling and while I knew the sickness would make it taste horrible I had to drink in order to help my pack. I gingerly picked up a bottle and stared for a minute before remembering how to work bottle caps. I drank the entire thing in one go and threw the bottle across the hay loft when it was done. The blood had tasted like mud mixed with rotting carcasses but the strength I had just gotten was enough to power me into a standing position. I crept across the loft, my feet making no noise; I had wrapped my tail loosely around my waist to keep it from knocking over things. When I was just behind the ladder and a stack of hay I peered around to watch what was going on.

A portly man brandishing a pitchfork and flashlight was bellowing at Harkat, his cheeks red with effort. Even from up here I could smell the beer on his breath and see orange chip stains on his hands and overalls. It was hard to see how this man could have cared for the animals in his barn. "Get outta here," the man said and held out the pitchfork a little further. "I got enough strangers running around without you in here!"

Harkat was mostly hidden in the shadow of a tractor, his hood pulled up. To the fat man he would look like a hoodlum with a hoodie on. He had not gotten the chance to find his necklace so coming out of hiding would probably give the man a heart attack. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"There was another guy poking around my property!" The man bellowed. "Pudgy guy in a suit. Really the kind of thing people wear these days…! Sent him well on his way I did! The same will be for you!" The beam of light from the flashlight bounced crazily around the barn.

I crept along the edge of the loft until I was directly to the left of the man. So Mr. Tiny was lurking around somewhere. That didn't make the situation any less dangerous. But right now I was going to get my pack mate away from the filthy human.

"Just let me get my friend and we will go. He's sick," Harkat said trying to pacify the man.

"I'll send yer friend well on his way too! I want you out now!" The man roared and advanced on Harkat, pitchfork held out in front of him.

My lip curled. Humans think they have such a powerful growl. I knew I had to do something before the power from the blood ran out. I crouched low in the hay and found the wooden boards underneath the stuff, running my claws over it. The scraping noise that filled the barn would have sent the bravest soul running.

The man stopped dead and turned, shining his flashlight to where I was. His eyes were wide and beads of sweat dripped down his face. "If this is a joke I have no patience for it!"

I sent a bit of hay falling over the edge of the loft and growled softly, making more rustling and scraping noises.

"Maybe it's a raccoon," Harkat suggested in amusement. In the darkness I saw his hand move in a patting motion. He wanted me to stay like a good little dog.

"Raccoons don't growl boy!" The man said and puffed out his chest. "I am a hunter! I felled a bear once so come on! I aint afraid of you!"

I chuckled and launched myself off the loft, taking with me a massive amount of hay. I collided with the man and his weapon hard, taking the brunt of the landing on my bad leg. I howled but the sound only fueled the preys terror and he began to flail around so hard he kicked me in the ribs. I grunted and got off, pushing him backwards toward the barn door. Each pitch fork thrust I dodged, but the effort of dragging my nearly useless leg was draining.

"You freak!" The man said but his face had gone pasty white. He was stepping backwards so fast he didn't see the fourth person that had joined the party and walked right into him. I fled back into the hay loft so fast hay sprayed into the air.

"I told you to leave," the man blustered once he had turned to face the newcomer.

"No one tells me to go," Mr. Tiny said mildly and brushed a hand across the mans face.

The farmer crumpled to the ground and the meddler stepped over him, walking into the exact middle of the barn. "Harkat?" He called out. "Come here."

Harkat stepped out into the moonlight, scratched and dirty but not hurt anymore. "I'm here," he said and I saw him cast a glance around for me.

"Where is Shadow?" Mr. Tiny asked.

"He is…here. Sick, and injured but alive," Harkat said. The worry in his face betrayed how anxious he was about revealing my new looks.

"Both of you need to calm yourselves. I am well aware of Shadows wings and their current condition." Mr. Tiny looked amused and wiped his hands on his suit jacket, taking out his watch to check the time. "I have no intention of harming him. It was quite impressive to keep those hidden for so long." His eyes glinted. "I will enjoy figuring out how he ended up with them."

"It's a bit more complicated then that," Harkat said.

"Enlighten me," Mr. Tiny said patiently.

"There is a bit more then wings," Harkat said reluctantly.

I snorted, hiding the sound in the palm of my hand.

Mr. Tiny put his watch back into a pocket and sighed dramatically. "His heartbeat is up in the hay loft Harkat. So before I go up there and remove him explain yourself," he said beginning to sound annoyed.

Harkat shuffled from foot to foot and then groaned. "It's exactly what I said. There is more then just wings!"

Mr. Tiny snapped his head up and turned to glance in the direction I was in. There was no way he could have seen me but I felt like his eyes met mine. "I see." His voice was back to a tone of calmness now. He went to the hay loft ladder and climbed up, standing on the opposite side from me. But he began to walk around and the closer he got the faster my heart went.

There was nowhere for me to go. I was pressed against the corner and the blood had worn off, leaving me in a bad state. I was bleeding, feverish and kept forgetting how to understand English.

Harkat said something from below but I failed to wrap my head around the words. The more scared I got the harder it was to understand and I was just about as scared as one could get. The only thing I understood was the tone and Harkat sounded like he was begging. Of course there was no response from Mr. Tiny.

I only had to wait a moment before Mr. Tiny appeared from around the closest hay bale and his eyes settled on me. They widened and I got a genuine scent of shock from him. For a minute we just stared at each other, both of us weighing the other. I couldn't decide if Mr. Tiny was a threat or not so when his boot edged closer I growled. It slid backwards and I relaxed my puffed up wings slightly.

The farmer stumbled to his feet and since Mr. Tiny had cleared away some of the hay it only took a minute to see me. His eyes bulged out of his head and he whipped a gun out of his pocket. I had no idea why he hadn't used it earlier but when the bullet sank into the wood just above my head I quit thinking about it and tried to bolt past Mr. Tiny. Of course I didn't get very far as I was so slow and another bullet drove me back into the corner.

Again the farmer called to Mr. Tiny and the meddler answered back sounding annoyed. When a third bullet hit the wood next to my foot Mr. Tiny whipped out a hand and the farmer was thrown back. The crunch his body made hitting the wood was loud. He wouldn't be getting up again.

I stared at his broken body for a minute and turned back to Mr. Tiny who was speaking to me in a slow voice. I couldn't understand his words and sighed, immediately snarling when he tried to move.

Mr. Tiny studied me for another minute and whenever he looked at my wings I shifted uneasily. When he spoke again it was in a much deeper tone of voice and I could understand him. "_Shadow_?" He said it more as a question.

I tilted my head.

Mr. Tiny smiled like his suspicions had been confirmed and took three large steps forward, ignoring my fury and hauled me up. He paid no attention to my fangs just missing his arms and floated down to the main area of the barn, passing Harkat who followed in step. The farther from the barn we got the more my head sagged until I was no longer trying to bite Mr. Tiny. Instead I let myself fall unconscious; trusting my pack- mate would keep me alive until I woke up.

My hand closed around Mr. Tinys throat the moment I woke up, claws digging into his soft skin. Luckily the gloves had been removed or I would have removed his head from his body. Over his shoulder Harkat gave me a quick smile and thumbs up; I forced my fingers to relax and my arm thumped back to the bed heavily, bouncing slightly before my hand closed into the blankets.

"Excellent reflexes," Mr. Tiny commented and straightened from where he had been bent over the side of my bed, peering at the bloody spot on my ribs, hands folded behind his back. He didn't seem bothered in the slightest by the five cuts on his neck.

I said nothing, content to string Harkat and Mr. Tiny along with the assumption I could not speak. Instead I leveled Mr. Tiny with my best unimpressed look and he chuckled. The man seemed to have gotten over his initial shock and was back to being vague as usual. Sitting up I made to swing my legs over the side of the bed, but when Mr. Tiny twitched-to give me a hand I guessed- I jumped back, slammed against the wall and curled up into a growling ball of anger.

Mr. Tiny looked mildly discontented and shuffled backwards a few feet. His eyes were narrow with contemplation, but they had none of the strange gleam in them.

Only when he had nearly gone to the other side of the room did I uncurl and glare at him suspiciously. Mr. Tiny had come far too close to putting his hand on my elbow, right where the dragon's tail tip was currently resting. While I tolerated people touching me now I would greatly prefer if nothing did ever again. I watched Mr. Tiny sit down in a fluffy white chair and place his arms deliberately on the armrests, thumbs tapping on the fabric soundlessly. His "harmless grandfather" act was coming on strong.

"Shadow it's alright," Harkat said coming toward me with his palms out.

I eyeballed the Little Person but let him untangle the blankets from my legs. The blankets around my wings I shredded into pieces without looking back (I had no wish to see my feathers) so nobody could try to help. I tried to saunter into the bathroom like nothing was wrong, but the walk was ruined by searing pain in my thigh and ribs that reduced me to limping along like an invalid, trying to keep my back to the wall so my wings were mostly hidden. Only when I was in the bathroom and looking in the mirror did I notice my wings felt slightly different then before. The smaller strips were all bandaged and the two largest pieces were cleaned of blood and the feathers had been unbent. I stormed out of the bathroom breathing heavily and pointed at Mr. Tiny and Harkat and turn then gestured furiously to my wings. Harkat had promised!

"Mr. Tiny is going to try to heal them. You could fly!" Harkat said excitedly.

I shot a look at Mr. Tiny who inclined his head ever so slightly. "That is correct. The process will be long however because of your wings fragile nature. But in time you will fly," he said, sounding very proud of himself.

I shook my head violently. "No," I ground out, unable to keep from voicing my very strong opinion. "No one touches them! Ever!"

"I have already started the healing process. Tonight the bandages will be removed, your wings washed and then more magic will be applied. Stopping the healing before it even begins will do more harm then has already been done. I have already tended to them once and I will not cease," Mr. Tiny said bluntly.

"NO. I refuse!" I said.

Mr. Tiny's smile grew wider. "You are in no position to deny me anything." He smirked. "Besides you didn't seem to mind the last time."

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms. "I was unconscious!" The idea I could enjoy anything to do with my wings was ridiculous.

Mr. Tiny sat up and adjusted his suit at the front, making me jump. "I do believe the closest thing humans have to what you experienced yesterday was a shoulder massage," Mr. Tiny said solicitously. He looked like he genuinely thought his words would help.

Blood seeped through the gaps in my fingers; I was so angry I had no words to express it. I turned on my heel and stomped into the bathroom, slamming the door so hard the top of it cracked. I sat on the toilet and put my head between my knees, trying to force back the nausea that had come up from the sheer pain. Someone knocked on the door and then entered without me saying a word. A green boot stepped into view and I snarled.

"I think we need some quality time," Mr. Tiny said and the tone of his voice made me shudder.

I looked up at him and right as Mr. Tiny reached for me my heart almost stopped. Harkats scent was fading from the place we were in. He was almost certainly not here anymore. I shoved Mr. Tiny backwards and astonishingly he landed in the tub, feet flying up above his head; at another time I would have burst out laughing at the sight but now I was too busy stumbling out of the bathroom. "Harkat!" I cried. "Harkat!"

Mr. Tiny came out of the bathroom, suit rumpled and his hair sticking up in odd directions. He didn't look angry but he certainly wasn't happy. "I sent him away," he said and crossed his arms.

My tail whipped out, knocking all the bandages off the side table. Strangely my arms had never been bandaged and even worse the cuffs were still on, so when Mr. Tiny grabbed me by the wrist I doubled over and cried out in pain. "Stop it!" I said. I was surprised when Mr. Tiny released me right away.

"You are not injured there?" Mr. Tiny said, looking at his hands like he thought they might have burned me.

I sent him an incredulous look. "Are you joking?" I asked angrily.

Mr. Tiny scowled. "I do not joke. Explain yourself."

I held up my arms and waved them in front of Mr. Tiny. "Do you not see my raw arms with barely any skin on them? They are bleeding too! And the cuffs around my wrists?"

"Cuffs?" Now Mr. Tiny sounded not quite concerned but there was something there.

"Yes! Evanna put them on both Harkat and I!"

"I knew of Harkats and I already removed them," Mr. Tiny said. He stared at my arms and grabbed one hand, turning my palm over. His fingers traced the skin on my wrist and when he caught the edge of the cuff frowned. His finger glowed and there was a bright flash of light. "Ah," he said. "There they are." But when his gaze settled on the purple lines running from the cuff his eyes narrowed. They kept narrowing as he followed the lines to where they had nearly reached my heart until I wondered how he was even able to see. "Well that certainly won't do," he murmured and wrapped his hands around the cuffs and muttered something under his breath. When the last syllable left his lips the cuffs began to glow bright red then cracked and fell off my wrists.

I had a split second of joyful relief before my body shook and I fell to the floor. The magic was furious. It wanted to escape and wreck havoc on the surroundings and anyone in it. I struggled to hold it back and seized wildly; much more violent then when my illusions had fallen. My fangs sank into flesh at one point and instead of opening my mouth I ripped free. When the tremors stopped I opened my eyes and looked straight into Mr. Tinys. I recoiled, or at least tried too. The man was practically sitting on me. My tail hit him in the back of the head before he got off.

Mr. Tiny picked up the ruined pieces of the cuffs and examined them closely. His eyes kept drifting back to me, completely unconcerned to my plight of not being able to sit up. He looked almost as shocked as when he had first seen me in the barn. But his expression smoothed over faster then lightning and he turned to me. "You are still coming with me as this changes nothing in my plans. In fact they have only cemented them further."

I gripped the edge of the bed and hauled myself upright. The purple lines were fading away but my anger was doing quite the opposite. "Where is Harkat?"

"Always with the questions!" Mr. Tiny complained.

"Answer me!" I snarled.

Mr. Tiny sighed. "He is at the Cirque Du Freak. Not that you would remember them, but he is in perfectly good hands. I will of course continue to send him solutions to his nightmares." He rubbed his hands together and smiled at me, looking genuinely excited.

"I won't go anywhere with you," I said.

"You are still feverish, bleeding and sick. Under what power would you keep me from taking you?" Mr. Tiny asked challengingly.

I stared at him silently.

"As I thought," Mr. Tiny hummed and pulled me upright; ruffling my hair gently. "Don't worry. You and I will have plenty of fun."

The world spun away and when I could see again our surroundings were completely different. I was sitting in the passengers' seat of a van with my backpack on the floor between my feet. A blanket covered most of my lower body and the radio was already on. Mr. Tiny sat in the driver's seat checking his reflection in the mirrors. I twisted around and looked at the back of the car. The two rows of seats behind me had been laid down and turned into a bed of sorts with lights stuck onto the sides of the car. There were two sets of blankets and pillows and over the seats was the rug I had slept on in the tent. I turned back to look out the window and pressed my cheek against the cool glass, enjoying the cold against my still hot face. Whatever the purpose for this impromptu road trip I highly doubted it was a good one.

"I mentioned Harkat was in good hands," Mr. Tiny commented and the car pulled onto the road. When I didn't answer him he chuckled good-naturedly. "Well so are you."

I snorted loudly.

"Believe me or not I do not intend to harm you," Mr. Tiny said.

"I don't believe you," I said viciously.

"Perhaps now," Mr. Tiny said. "But later you will." He turned the wheel as we got onto the highway.

"I doubt it," I muttered.

Mr. Tiny made to move my tail off the gears and I whipped it away. "Maybe you will when you fly," he said conversationally. "Or when your sleep is not disturbed by night horrors."

"Your "cures" have done nothing," I spat. Nothing but silence met this and I smiled, pressing my face back against the glass; I had removed it to answer Mr. Tiny. Other cars drove by and I wondered if any of them saw the strange boy in the passenger seat. If they did what would they think? Just their imagination? Or maybe contacts?

"I was misinformed earlier. However, I now have the necessary information to assist you," Mr. Tiny said.

"Really? What information?" I asked bleakly and started drawing in the windows condensation.

"That would be telling," Mr. Tiny said cheerfully.

I finished the drawing with one final swoop of the finger and studied it critically. It was supposed to be a face but the eyes were all wrong. I wiped my hand across it and the picture was gone. "Secrets don't make one trustworthy," I said.

"Did I say trust me?" Mr. Tiny asked. "I said believe."

I hardly wanted to get into now. "To make someone believe you won't hurt them means they have to trust you. I don't trust you."

"Explain to me what trust is from your perspective," Mr. Tiny said.

Fully knowing this information would be used to manipulate me later I conceded and told him. "Well, for one having absolute certainty that the person would never hurt you on purpose. Being able to act vulnerable and show emotions you wouldn't around other people. In more brutal terms…knowing that you could sleep around them and they wouldn't slit your throat for the bit of cash you have." I felt a bit awkward after saying all that.

Mr. Tiny made a noise in the back of his throat and put the blinker on, scowling at the person to our left who would not speed up to let us get over. "So do you trust anyone?"

"Harkat," I said immediately.

"Why? You barely know him," Mr. Tiny said inquisitively.

"I have the ability to read people. I can tell almost right away if they are a threat or not. Harkat was on the safe side," I explained.

"And where am I?" Mr. Tiny asked in amusement.

I picked at the seat cushions. "I don't know," I said honestly.

"Really?" Mr. Tiny sounded proud of that.

"Somewhere between run in the opposite direction and follow him to the ends of the earth. Harrison is easily on the run away side but you I can't read," I amended.

"I intend to fix that," Mr. Tiny said.

"Good luck," I said and turned on my side, pulling the blanket higher.

"I would say thank you, but I do not need luck," Mr. Tiny said. He pushed two small white pills in my face without looking away from the wood. "Take these for the fever."

I took the pills and swallowed them after sending a bit of magic in to check if they would harm me.

"You do trust me somewhat," Mr. Tiny said the second I had taken the medicine.

"Why would you say that?" I questioned.

"Those pills could have been anything," Mr. Tiny said smugly.

I grinned and turned to face Mr. Tiny. "I knew they weren't poison."

"How could you possibly know?"

I rolled back over, no longer smiling. "If you had my trust you would know exactly how I knew." My eyes unfocused as I watched the countryside fly past.

"Someday you will tell me," Mr. Tiny said.

"Maybe," I agreed. "But forcing your healing on my wings is a damn good way to keep that from ever happening."

"I am doing it for your own good," Mr. Tiny said in a tone that invited no argument.

I fell silent and refused to respond to Mr. Tiny's jibes that grew increasingly annoying. Finally I pulled the blanket over my head and bandaged wings completely, carefully adjusting my still raw arms and tried to shut out his voice.

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**R&amp;R please? **


	14. Chapter 14- Secret Out

**A.N. Here you go! I will be posting a new CDF story later today or tomorrow. This one will _not _be abandoned so don't worry, I just had another idea that wouldn't leave me alone. **

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I curled tighter, determined not to loose the shape of a small ball. I had kept up this for the past two hours and nothing was going to stop me, even if my legs were falling asleep. The past two days had been some of the worst in my entire life which was saying something. In the span of forty-eight hours I had almost been killed twice, kidnapped, and my secret was out. Mr. Tiny knew I had magic. That was why I was currently curled at the back of the van. The incident had happened last night and he hadn't said a word to me since; not that I had said a word in two days either but Mr. Tiny was not usually this quiet. We stopped every few hours and I would scuttle out to buy chips and water with a few bucks Mr. Tiny handed me along with using the bathroom and drinking blood if needed but besides that we were driving to an unknown location.

I closed my eyes to avoid staring at Mr. Tiny who was constantly eyeballing me in the rearview mirror and remembered what had happened again.

_"If you would stop acting like a two year old, we might make some progress!" Mr. Tiny said in frustration but just like all his other attempts to make me speak I kept quiet. We had just pulled into a campsite and he had yet to unlock the car. Finally he threw up his hands and the doors swung open. "Go and shower you smell awful." He tossed me a bag and booted me out, the doors closing with a click. _

_ I stalked off after picking up the bag and making a show of brushing every bit of dirt off it. I was not looking forward to showering in the near chilly weather and hoped the pipes were frozen. It was a decent trek to the showers and I eyed them with distaste. The building was nice enough but the shower stalls were tiny, and the curtains wouldn't have covered a toddler properly. I hung my bag on the hook outside the stall furthest from the door and turned the water on; I had a brief moment to hope it was frozen but water came gushing out. I stripped quickly and danced under the water teeth chattering. I had just begun to soap up my hair when footsteps outside the building made me pause with my fingers digging into my scalp. The footsteps, two pairs of them walked by and continued on without pausing and I relaxed. Rinsing took no time at all and I reached for the water to shut it off when the footsteps came back, but this time I could hear and smell six people. I left the water on and quietly unzipped my bag from behind the curtain, pulling my pants and shirt to me; I dressed under the water ignoring the fact I was getting new clothes soaked and listened hard. The footsteps were definitely coming to the building with a purpose and I highly doubted it was because they were here to enjoy the campsites facilities. I used a bit of magic to turn on all the showers and pull the curtains closed then I picked up the bag and slung it over my shoulder, climbing part way up the shower wall and bracing my feet against it so they wouldn't be seen. _

_ The footsteps entered the building and spread out, three people going to each row. As they went I heard them pulling down curtains one after another. I bared my pointy teeth and smiled. The curtain next to mine and I saw the indents of fingers wrap around mine and I jumped, landing on the closest man to slit his throat with one claw before anyone could react. I whipped around in a blur of blue feathers and my tail wrapped around another mans throat, crushing his windpipe. I left him to die gasping on the ground. The third man was dispatched with a crushing blow to the chest from a massive punch and I spun around, crouching to meet the next three. I wasn't happy with the way I had fought; exhaustion had made me slow. Unfortunately my eyes lighted on the weapons all three were carrying: cattle prods. I growled loudly and the prods sparked. I lurched backwards and ran for the door, closing my hand around the necklace Mr. Tiny had given me and ripping it off. He had added another spell to alert him if I was in danger and the necklace being removed was one way to trigger the spell. _

_ Of course the men gave chase and I led them outside the building, into the bright sunlight. The crackling of electricity had sent my already tense body into hyper alertness. Those things could not touch my skin or my dragon again. I turned around and held out my hands, making it very clear that the men needed to turn around and leave right now but they only laughed and advanced. I snarled loudly. _

_ Then one of the men whipped the cattle prod back over his shoulder and tossed it at me. He had wrapped a piece of cloth tightly around the handle so the electricity was constantly going. The prod spun through the air slowly and I watched it dumbly. _

_ My hand snapped up without thought and a wave of angry, fearful magic sent all three men tumbling through the air and into the side of the building. I lowered my hand and turned around after watching the one man get electrocuted by his own weapon and stiffened. _

_Mr. Tiny was standing a few feet away watching me with an eerily blank expression. _

I snapped out of the memory when the car began to grind up a gravel driveway. The smell of farm animals made me uncurl stiffly and look out the back window. We were at a large farm; barns were scattered in a half circle outside a large farmhouse and beyond that fields gave way to forest. A group of people were standing on the farm houses porch dressed in overalls, tattered jeans and old shirts. The farm house itself looked well loved and old, but still in good condition. The tallest person was a woman in her late thirties to forties with a bush of red hair pulled into a ponytail that could barely contain the frizz. She wore a dark pair of overalls and heavy boots. Standing behind her, peeking out around her leg was a girl I guessed was her daughter. She had the same red hair and her eyes were bright blue. Two twin boys dressed in jeans and loose coats were shoving each other on the bottom steps but straightened up guiltily when they saw the car approaching. They looked like imps and I immediately liked them. The last man was tall and well muscled, also wearing overalls.

The car stopped and I opened the door after Mr. Tiny got up and walked behind him to greet the family. It was a shock when not one of them batted an eye at my appearance or ran back into the house in terror. In fact they seemed pleased to see me and Mr. Tiny.

"This is Shadow," Mr. Tiny said and gestured to me; I dodged him when he tried to grip my elbow and pull me out from behind him.

I liked the people but dealing with another set of humans that could mess with me was not my idea of fun.

"Hello Shadow. My name is Pandora, and my daughter here is Bea. The two devils are Jasper and Timothy and our hardest worker here is Albert," the woman said with a smile.

I lifted my hand up in a small wave and offered a grin in return toward the little girl who giggled and darted back into the house, returning a moment later with a plush doll. Another smile crossed my face at her antics.

"He doesn't talk," Mr. Tiny said, shooting me a cross look.

Pandora dodged past Timothy and approached me with purposeful stride. "By his own choosing?" She asked and studied me, probably looking for some defect that would keep me from talking.

"Yes," Mr. Tiny said.

"That is not a problem," Pandora said kindly. "Bea why don't you show Shadow around and then take him to his room? I need to speak with Desmond."

Bea grabbed my hand and for a seven year old she had a tight grip. She led me up the steps and through the front door, into a living room. The room was a good size with one large couch in front of a TV mounted on a brick fireplace and two plush chairs off to the side. Bookshelves covered most of the available wall space, filled with old volumes, family pictures and stacks of CDs. In one corner a desk sat with an old computer on top and a lamp. But Bea didn't let me linger to see what the titles of some books were; she pulled me down a short hall; I caught sight of a bathroom through a half opened door and another family room filled with boxes, then we went into the kitchen. The appliances were old too and the dining table was scratched and well loved. One leg had a book underneath to keep it level and all the chairs had ripped seat cushions. We went back down the hall passing the bathroom again and up a creaking set of stairs. Bea showed me her room which was filled with tons of model horses: they filled her shelves, desk, laid on her bed and were all over the floor. Next was the twin's room which was only slightly cleaner. Pandoras room was tightly shut and we didn't go in.

"Albert lives in the barn loft. He likes to be alone," Bea explained. She yanked me down the hall to the far end and pointed at two doors, opening one. "This is your room," she said excitedly.

I went in and stood in the middle of the room. It was spacious but not overly so. A twin bed and side table sat in the corner and the floors were wooden just like downstairs. The floors were a pale shade of green going nicely with a small desk and chair at the other side. The closet was already filled with clothes my size and I stared at Bea, gesturing to them in confusion.

"Mr. Tiny told us your size and gave us money to get you clothes," Bea said proudly. She started to hand me shirts and pants, pointing out each one that she had helped pick out.

When we finally put the clothes back I could hear Pandora and Mr. Tiny coming up the steps. I shut my door and leaned against it with a heavy sigh but quickly moved when my wings pressed into the wood.

"We haven't gotten anyone with wings before!" Bea said and circled me, examining every inch of me with a critical eye. I let my tail fall from where it had been wrapped around my waist and the little girl laughed again. She abruptly tried to touch my wings and I flinched away, banging into the desk painfully. "I'm sorry," Bea said her eyes going wide.

I made a patting motion when the fear subsided to try and make the girl relax. The door opened and Pandora entered, holding my bag. I took it from her and backed up to sit on the bed when Mr. Tiny hovered in the doorway.

"Do you like him Bea?" Pandora asked and for some reason I got the feeling there was some deeper meaning in the question. I wondered how much Mr. Tiny had told her about me. If she knew about the collar and nightmares I did not want her pity.

Bea put her finger on her chin and looked thoughtful for a second. "Yes," she finally decided.

"You look unsure," her mother said and her eyes went to me for a split second.

"He is so jumpy! But he likes the clothes we picked out and the room and he didn't get mad at me when I tried to touch his wings," Bea said carefully. "Why doesn't he talk?"

"He doesn't want to," Pandora said and she visibly relaxed.

Bea looked from me to her mom and back again. "Is he scared?"

A gust of air escaped from me in protest but then I sighed. In truth not speaking was a lot easier then having to answer question after question. Instead of struggling with how to explain why I was like this, or what had happened to me I could stay quiet.

"Maybe," Pandora said and shooed Mr. Tiny backwards so she could mostly leave the room. "He will talk when he is ready." Then she was gone and I had ducked my head to keep from seeing Mr. Tiny's expression when he left. Their footsteps went back downstairs and only then did I breathe again.

Bea helped me unpack and I took the bag from her before she pulled out the book and feather. Then I sat on the bed and slumped over, staring mindlessly at the floor.

"Don't be sad," Bea said.

I looked up at the little girl and frowned, tilting my head.

"Everyone has to be scared of something," Bea said matter of factly.

I smiled and nodded, accidently giving Bea a full glimpse of my pointed teeth. But she took it in stride, her eyes only widening for a second.

"Mom said you can shower before dinner," Bea said and led me outside to the upstairs bathroom. She brought me a towel and shampoo then helped me pick out clothes much to my amusement. I left the room ten minutes later with a bright red t-shirt and jeans.

The shower was quick as the memory of what had happened during the last one was strong. I made sure my rib wound was no worse and saw that under the water it was beginning to scab more thoroughly. Nothing more then that since my dragon was still hurt but it was a start. I carefully toweled off, avoiding the dragon's wounded side and had just pulled on my pants when Bea burst into the room waving a piece of paper in the air.

Bea's eyes got huge when she saw the dragon on my torso, the tail disappearing under my jeans to the side and put a hand to her mouth. She didn't look scared at all. In fact concern replaced any apprehension she had been giving off.

I had almost killed her when she walked in, but the logical part of my mind had asserted itself just in time. Bea was a harmless cub and meant no harm toward the dragon. If anything she was the perfect person to see the dragon.

"It's hurt," was the first thing Bea said. She took a tiny step forward and when I didn't freak out, walked right up to me but did not touch the dragon.

I nodded.

"Stay!" Bea rushed off and opened the closet, bringing back medicine that she uncapped and squirted a bit onto her finger. "Can I put it on?"

I sat on the toilet, leaning back a little so she could see the wound more clearly. I had no idea why I was giving myself up to this little waif of a girl so easily but I was quickly becoming attached. For all I knew the medicine would actually help. I hissed in pain when Bea's small fingers brushed over the dragon but tolerated it until the medicine was mostly rubbed in. But Bea did not pull away; instead her fingers trailed along the uninjured part of the dragon's side and I felt it too. I let out a long sigh and my muscles started to relax. It was like getting a massage. Bea only stopped after she had rubbed the dragons head and sent my hair into a mess. When she pulled away I quickly yanked my shirt on, feeling strangely sad. But I pulled myself together and put a finger to my lips trying to convey to Bea I wanted this to be a secret. It took a minute but her eyes lit up.

"We have a secret!" She said eagerly and then giggled.

I touched my stomach where the dragon was still sitting and nodded.

Bea placed her hand over mine and stared into my eyes, her own sincere. "I promise not to tell," she swore solemnly. Then her attention broke and she gave me the piece of paper. "Mom said to write down what kind of pizza you like so she can order it."

I took the paper and wrote down 'anything but mushrooms,' in messy scrawl after Bea found a pen in her pocket. The girl bounced down the steps and I followed at a more sedate pace, my side stinging painfully. Pandora was sitting on the couch deep in conversation with Mr. Tiny and both of them fell silent when we entered. Bea handed her mother the paper and she read it with an amused quirk of the mouth.

"I agree completely," Pandora said to me and tucked the paper in her pocket.

"We have a secret!" Bea said and then clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes darting to me with worry.

I sighed.

"A secret?" Pandora said. "What is it?"

"It wouldn't be a secret if I told you," Bea said.

Mr. Tiny looked between us and at the last second I started at the floor so his eyes grazed over the top of my head.

"Bea you know how I feel about secrets," Pandora said.

"It's fluffy," Bea said and crossed her arms. "That's all I will tell you." Apparently she had reminded herself of something because she added: "Can I show Shadow the barn?"

"Tomorrow. It's already getting late. But after dinner you can show him the kittens," Pandora compromised.

"Ok…" Bea said and wrapped her hand around my arm.

I looked down at the girl and let her lead me back into the other family room. There we played so many games my head spun. I lost at most of them, most spectacularly at checkers. The only game I trounced Bea in was Connect Four where I remained an undefeated champion. By the time we finished the smell of food wafted in from the kitchen and I followed Bea, trying to remind myself that I did not bounce.

The sheer amount of food on the table awoke an appetite I hadn't had in days. I took a plate and heaped pizza and chicken onto it. I wrapped my hand around the plate possessively after hunting down a fork and dug into the food. The chicken was perfectly breaded and crispy, and the pizza hot but not burning. Bea took a large amount of food too, mimicking the layout of my plate exactly and sat down next to me. Her gaze kept darting to my side where the dragon was resting. We ate in silence, Pandora trying to get Mr. Tiny to engage in conversation but he remained silent. She talked to me after that, telling me all about the house, barn and animals on the farm. There were sheep, pigs, horses and cats along with a very old goat. Bea interjected occasionally to tell me about their giant cliff on the south side of the farm and the lake that was partly frozen over. I nodded sometimes to show I was listening but did not look up from my foot until my stomach was ready to burst. Mr. Tiny was staring me down a few places across and to the left. The look on his face made me set down the fork and push away from the table. "Bathroom," I muttered, not missing the furious look Pandora sent Mr. Tiny. I barely made it to the toilet before everything I had just eaten came back up. I clutched the toilet bowl and dry heaved before flushing and washing my hands. Then I sat on the toilet and put my face in my hands. From outside I could hear raised voices, but didn't bother to focus and listen in. Mr. Tiny had obviously made up his mind. He was angry at me for having magic; even though I had known that could happen his reaction still stung. I got up and slumped past the kitchen, sidling past before anyone saw me but was waylaid by Bea at the front door.

"Forget about the nasty man," Bea said solemnly. "I have kittens!" She grabbed my hand gently and pulled me into the living room. Under the desk was a box lined with thick blankets and inside huddled next to two hot water bottles were four gray and white kittens that looked like giant fluff balls with eyes. "We found them on our doorstep," Bea explained. She patted the couch. "Sit here and I'll give you them!"

I sat on the couch, leaning against the arm that faced the TV and let Bea pile two blankets onto my lap and chest. Pandora and Mr. Tiny came in during her procedures and sat down on the plush chairs to watch us. Mr. Tiny had his blank expression on while Pandora still looked mildly annoyed. But her expression calmed when she saw what we were doing. She flicked on the TV and put on a movie that wasn't familiar to me.

Bea set the kittens on my back and they snuggled up to each other easily as I was almost laying flat. Their purring was going straight into me and embarrassingly I felt the urge to purr back. I had never wanted to do that before. Bea sat on my legs and ran her fingers over the fluff balls which only made them purr harder. The four kittens were right between my wings which was rather odd but Bea was careful not to mess with them.

Hours went by and the movie ended. The TV was left on but the show meant nothing to me and I felt like I was sinking into the couch. My arm was flopped over the side of the couch and my eyes were half closed; the kittens had fallen asleep but their purring never ceased. Even my wings were beginning to relax into an open position. Bea was on top of my legs still, her breathing deep and even.

"The boy suffers from night terrors, I do not suggest leaving kittens and a little girl with him," Mr. Tiny said.

Pandora sniffed. "It is no wonder if he stayed with you! It seems you have done nothing to help him!" She crossed her arms. "Have you seen him that relaxed ever?"

I felt Mr. Tiny's eyes flit over me. "No," he said finally.

Their conversation melted into white noise as I started to fall asleep; one wing folded itself just so to cover Bea and then I was out like a light.

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**R&amp;R Please? :D**


	15. Chapter 15- Fly

**A.N. Here you go :P Yes life has gotten in the way for a good long time and I am sorry about that. Other things have been going on and yeah, updates will be shaky but I will do my best.**

** : Yes she has a few talents and calming people is one of them. It is also Shadow being extremely protective of her. **

**To everyone: If anyone is still waiting for me to update out there I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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After an early breakfast and a quick shower I followed Bea out to the horse barn. I was filled with energy that I hadn't had since escaping from Harrison. Magic thrummed at my fingertips and I was positive my feet were floating above the ground at least a couple inches. I had slept right through the night like a log, only waking up when Bea crawled away to use the bathroom. I had avoided Mr. Tiny which was easy because he didn't come down for breakfast.

"Do you like horses?" Bea asked, falling back to hold my hand.

I shrugged, making a flip-flop motion with my free hand. I hadn't really been around them enough to make up my mind. Only the occasional pony ride when I was little.

"You will like ours," Bea said proudly and tugged open the barn door with surprising strength.

There was two isles in the barn. We stood in the middle as Bea explained one isle was just for the stalls and the other had two extra stalls, a wash area and the tack room, along with a ladder to the loft. She entered one stall and I watched as she put a halter on one tiny pony no taller then she was and led it into the wash stall. After that she began a lengthy show and tell explanation of each grooming bush and how they were used, along with how to put a saddle, bridle and halter on. When she was done she handed me a curry comb and I took position on one side of the tiny pony, crouching down so I could make gentle circles on her stomach.

I loved the way the horses smelled to my nose; musky and wild at the same time with traces of freshly cut grasses. The pony didn't take long at all and Bea told me to go get another horse; saying it was my test and I could pick any of them. She vanished into the tack room with the mountain of supplies and I guessed she was getting another set and cleaning those. I wandered up and down the isle on the other side of the barn, studying each horse. Some of them came to see me and I petted their noses. But none caught my fancy and I walked back to the other isle, going over to the stalls set aside from the rest. One stall was empty, but the other held a stallion in the corner. He was spotted black and white and in the back of my mind I filled in that he was an Appaloosa. When he saw me he let out a snort and swiveled around. His head poked out and I brushed a finger down his velvety nose. In our strange way we were having a silent conversation, getting our meaning through with magic and body language. Eventually we reached the conclusion that he would not cause trouble if I respected him. I picked his halter up off the door and saw the noseband was a chain instead of soft leather. I frowned and grabbed the one off the empty stall, adjusting it so the thing would fit the stallions head. Neptune (or at least I guessed that was the stallions name because it was carved into the stall door) seemed happier with the leather on his nose when I slipped it on. I clipped the lead on and gingerly opened the door.

Neptune pranced out, his head held high. His body was quivering so I laid a hand, sending calming magic into his muscles. He didn't want to enter the wash stall so I loosely tied his lead to the empty stall. After that he stood quietly, nibbling on the hem of my shirt while I waited for Bea to come out.

When the little girl did she dropped the box of grooming stuff and went pale. "Don't move!" She whispered and dashed off. The moment she left the barn I heard her calling for her mother at the top of her lungs.

I frowned. The stallion hadn't been causing trouble, if you didn't count drooling on my hair. I picked up the grooming stuff and started on his hooves, only staring at him sternly once when he didn't want to lift up his back foot. I finished the hooves and a good amount of stuff had come out of them. Was Pandora and Albert not taking care of him? His coat was filthy too and the more I cleaned him the happier the horse got. He seemed especially interested in my wings that stuck out through slits in my shirt and wouldn't leave them alone, so finally while I did his neck and mane I let him groom one. I had only gotten his feet and part of his neck done when Pandora came rushing into the barn, followed by Bea, Mr. Tiny and Albert.

"Darren you need to step away from that horse now," Pandora said calmly. But the muscle twitching in her jaw gave away her tenseness.

Neptune squealed and I laid a hand on his neck, stepping closer to him. The horse quieted.

"Do as she says," Mr. Tiny said.

I sent the man a withering look and undid the lead on the stall, holding it in my hands; trying to ask with my eyes why I had to put him back. Neptune snorted loudly and pranced on the spot.

"He is dangerous," Pandora said and took a step closer. "We are unable to work with him. Whatever his past owners did ruined that poor animal." She sent a look at Bea. "I have already sold him. His new owners are coming today."

Bea's eyes filled with tears. "What? I told you they were bad men!"

I shot a look at the girl. I wondered if she had heightened senses like myself; able to tell peoples intentions.

"Bea I explained to you that I visited their stables myself. Everything is as it should be there. You are blinded by grief," Pandora said kindly.

"Look at Neptune now! He isn't being bad!" Bea said insistently.

Pandora shook her head. "Perhaps Darren's magic protected him, but he won't be here forever."

I huffed. If they knew Neptune was perfectly happy to go along with things after it was explained to him they would probably laugh. I stared at Bea and tapped my stomach, signaling that it did have something to do with my talents. Then I mimed speaking and cupped a hand around the horses ear.

"See he can talk to him!" Bea said. She seemed to be the only one that understood my odd sign language. "He can find out what is wrong." Tears were still streaming down her face. "They will kill him Mom!" She ran up to me and wrapped her arms around me. Neptune bent down and nuzzled her face, sneezing. Bea turned around and blinked at the stallion with wide eyes just as car doors clicked outside.

"They are here," Pandora said and turned to Mr. Tiny. "I suggest you hide his wings and tail." She left the barn. The sadness in her eyes told me she did not like doing this, but she felt she had no other choice.

I let Albert take the stallion and followed them outside after Mr. Tiny waved his hand over my body without looking at me. Neptune was prancing and yanking on the lead, squealing loudly. I laid eyes on the three men who had come with a pickup and trailer and instantly knew what Bea was talking about. They felt like the kind of people who would work under Harrison gladly. Their eyes were on the stallion greedily, and one had another chain halter ready to put on. My hands clenched into fists. I could tell by their clean clothes and immaculate trailer that they were able to put on a front of kindness though. I almost lunged at them when the closest man grabbed the lead from Albert.

The man chuckled. "Don't you worry," He called out when Pandora told them to take good care of the stallion. He pulled on the lead and Neptune dug his hooves into the ground, arching his back to stay put.

I knew directly confronting the horse would do absolutely nothing, but just watched, hoping their incompetence would show itself to Pandora.

Bea kept her hand tight in mine, tears still flowing down her cheeks. "No," she whispered.

After a couple minutes it became clear the men were not going to get Neptune into the trailer. I walked up to them and held out my hand for the lead, miming that I could help.

The man who seemed to be struggling the most to keep his cool barked out a laugh at Mr. Tiny. "Where did you get this?" He asked. "Out of the way," he barked and shoved me. Or at least tried too. His human power did not even make me rock a bit. He stared at me and a glimmer of…realization flashed in his eyes.

I held out my hand again and stared at the man challengingly.

"This works on em," the third man said and pulled out a gun. He raised it in the air and fired. The sharp crack sent Neptune into a wild frenzy.

The lead the other man had been in the middle of handing me snapped around my arm and tightened. When the horse bolted I was yanked off my feet and dragged along the ground. The ground burned against my skin as my jeans were quickly wearing away. I barely missed the side of the barn when Neptune galloped past it. I kept trying to get my legs underneath me; I was fast enough to keep up with the stallion if I could balance myself but rocks, sticks and other obstacles kept tripping me up. My arms were skinned and bleeding now. I sent a mental picture of a cliff to the horse so strong it would seem to the animal that it was looming up right in front of him. The horse ground to a halt and I got up, wobbling unsteadily. Pieces of my pants were gone and I was sore as hell, my wings were surely ruffled up but I laid a hand on Neptune's flank with no trace of anger. The group was running toward us and would soon catch up as we hadn't made it too far past the barn, but I concentrated on pulling the fear out of the stallion.

Neptune sent me a picture of prods and I recoiled with a flash of fear. The prods had been in the trailer, exactly the same as Harrisons. There was no way those men worked for him, was there? Unless he had recruited people all over the country to keep an eye out for us since his trackers had been removed. But then people did own those things naturally. Right?

Then screams shot into the sky and I was whirling around, uncoiling the lead from my bruised hand. Bea had been picked up by one of the men and he held a gun to her temple, dragging her back toward the trailer. Pandora was screaming and Mr. Tiny was standing stock still, as usual adding nothing productive to the situation. Albert lay on the ground deathly still. The man gestured and from the movements he made to me the message was clear: Get the horse and your ass over here or the girl dies.

I stood up and narrowed my eyes. I sent another picture to Neptune and he snorted in agreement. I braced myself on the fence and leapt onto his back, nearly falling off the other side. We faced the men and the magic burned in my veins, the dragon twisting on my skin in a fury reserved for those who took what I loved. I nudged my heels into the stallion's side and he took off like a rocket; I clutched to his mane and gave up on steering, only able to hold on and hope I didn't get thrown off. The men were hardly aware of what I could do. If they were then the prods would be in hand and not laying in a trailer. Perhaps finding me had been happenchance. I stretched at the charms Mr. Tiny had put on my wings and tail and snapped them in half with a burst of angry magic. My wings unfurled to their full length and I caught sight of them with a jolt of disbelief. They were whole! I was whole! My feathers were long, the blood was gone and the tears through my skin were gone.

I could fly. I could jump into the sky and wheel among the clouds, leaving everything behind. The sheer relief and joy was lifting me up to greater heights then I had ever been too. I would taste the wind on my face again. Neptune caught onto my elation and his hooves flew faster. We were almost upon them now; I had folded my wings again and I could see the whites of the mans eyes. I wanted to see them fill with fear, and realize what he had foolishly attempted to do. Then I wanted to watch his life flicker out.

I waved my hands in the air, making it look like I could not stop the horse. The man dove aside, pulling Bea with him, but my hands hooked on the back of her shirt and yanked her free of the mans grasp. My wings unfurled into the wind and I was buffeted into the sky and off the horses back. I flapped hard and dove sideways, still barely in the air. A bullet flew past and I pumped my wings hard, shooting into the sky with my arms wrapped around Bea who was screaming; but either in fear or happiness I couldn't tell. I felt on top of the world, like nothing could touch me. Already the people looked like ants, with one of them pointing an object at Pandora. I growled and dove, folding my wings to fly over the barn roof. I set Bea down on the roof, pausing for a split second to make sure she had a good handhold before taking off again. I drew fire, wheeling through the sky like a trick airplane until the gun ran out of bullets. Then I lazily gained height and dove again, listening to the clicks as he reloaded the gun. I slammed into the ground behind him, sending up a spray of snow and began to grow, and grow. Feathers covered my body and I leaned forward, hands turning into clawed paws and my face elongating into a toothy snout. My tail whipped through the snow, and finally the change was complete. I was the size of the house now. The man turned around and the gun fell from his fingers.

My lips curled back to expose fangs that could skewer the man through the chest with inches to spare. "_Mine," _I growled in English. I lunged and his body disappeared into my mouth with a crunch of blood. I swallowed him, burped once and then surveyed the rest of the humans standing in front of me with varying expressions of shock. I became aware of the other two men trying to escape in the car and swiveled around, gripping the top of the pickup with my jaws and crushed the cab of the truck with one swift bite. I dropped the truck in front of the yellow clothed man like a cat bringing a dead mouse to its owner and cocked my head. He didn't move and I breathed ice cold air in his face before going to fetch the little cub from the roof. She was an easy rescue and I set her on the ground, directly in front of her mother. She wrapped her arms around my snout and giggled.

"This is the secret!" She said proudly.

"What?" The yellow clothed man said.

"Yep! Except it was on his stomach before," Bea said. She was pale and shaken, but her body screamed protectiveness over me that was only rivaled by what I felt for her.

I snorted and lay down with a thump, scooting closer to Pandora who looked torn between grabbing her daughter and running and touching me. The latter won over and she brushed a hand over the feathers on my upper jaw. Her eyes widened. "He's so soft."

Mr. Tiny approached me but when he made to touch my leg I growled and got up, pacing away from him to sit on the side of the barn where Neptune had gone. The horse had headed right back to his stall.

"Darren," Mr. Tiny said sternly, eyes flashing with anger.

But Pandora came to the rescue, gouging holes in the man with anger only parents could summon. "You have treated him like shit since you arrived and I highly doubt you were a model caretaker before that! You ignore him, act like his gifts are a curse and a nuisance after you told me he went through hell before! It's a wonder the boy even functions, and is just feeling a bit quiet! You told me his wings would heal when he found something to care for and I guess he did, but it sure wasn't you and I bet that bothers you. Doesn't it?" She crossed her arms. "You don't deserve anything from him! And any anger or resentment he heaps on you is something you did to yourself." She gestured wildly at the sky. "My family was just attacked! I don't know if the twins are safe at school and I bet neither of you know if more trouble is coming! So maybe you should use what I just told you while I tend to my family." Pandora turned on her heel and stalked off toward Albert.

Mr. Tiny stood still for a couple minutes and I watched him without blinking. Emotions ran across his face so fast I couldn't read them. Was a piece of the old Desmond still under there, fighting its way to the surface? Pandora had been right. I didn't care for the man in front of me at all. I cared for the one that had learned to love, to care for others and relate to them in a human way. Mr. Tiny could put on the mockery of caring, with a hint of actual emotion but it wouldn't be real until his memories came back. Sure he could feel sorrowful that his plans hadn't worked out, upset that I was angry at him, but love. That he could not understand yet.

I growled and took one step forward, swishing my tail in the dust and stomped past Mr. Tiny to stand over Albert. Pandora had her phone in hand, dialing 911 before I snorted again and touched my snout to his chest. A bright blue light nearly blinded me and when I could see again the gash on Alberts head was healed and he was staring up at me with wide eyes.

Pandora bent down and explained to him what was going on, but Albert didn't relax until I had stepped back and curled my tail around my paws like a cat. The lure of the sky was becoming too strong and I spread my wings, bringing them down in one sweeping motion to lift me into the sky. The people shrank away and I swept over the farm in lazy circles. I knew better then to stray far from the farm and let humans see me. Mr. Tiny gestured for me to land but I ignored him. But when I was still in the sky I felt a lurching sensation in my gut and I knew the change was fading; I barely made it to the ground before I changed back into my normal form. My limbs felt like jelly and I wobbled back to the group, pointing at the disaster I had created and mimed sweeping.

Mr. Tiny rolled his eyes and waved a hand. The destroyed truck and bodies vanished.

"I need to get the boys," Pandora said insistently and headed for her car. I piled in after her with Albert and Bea and we tore away from the house, leaving Mr. Tiny standing in our wake.


	16. Chapter 16

**A.N. I have no excuse for not updating in so long. I really had no ideas for the story but now I do. **

**The next chapter is already half done so it will be up in the next couple days. **

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I sat up in bed, my fangs sinking deep into my hand and I swallowed back the screams along with my blood. Images of what had happened kept flashing around and around my mind. The twins had been fine, but just as we pulled out the black cars had pulled in. I set my hand on the bed and winced. Blood was getting everywhere. I got up and pulled the blanket and sheet off the bed, wrapping part of the blanket around my hand to contain the blood and threw the rest under the bed.

My dragon was infected I was sure of it. Sometimes it barely moved and other times red hot spikes of pain shot up from wherever it was, making me dizzy. The rest of the day and evening Mr. Tiny had been polite sure, but there was no way I was talking to him about this. I shot a quick look at the clock and groaned. It was even earlier than normal: Two in the morning. I stared at my bed which now lacked a blanket and sheet and sighed. I was thinking about demanding that Harkat come back, but even that made me unsure. What if he was happy away from us at the Cirque?

"Shadow?" A tired voice whispered from the doorway. Bea was standing in soft striped pajamas at the door, rubbing her eyes.

I flicked my hands toward the door. She didn't need to be tired along with me.

"You have blood on your wings," Bea said her eyes widening. She shoved into the room and closed the door with a soft click. Her eyes rested on my blanket wrapped hand and frowned. She left the room and came back with a first aid kit and a couple damp rags.

I sighed even harder. Mr. Tiny had warned me that my wings could go right back the way they were if I didn't take excellent care of them. Of course that meant he wanted to apply more of that weird salve stuff which I had refused. I let Bea unwrap my hand and bandage it up. The twin holes didn't look that bad anymore, just very bloody. But Bea didn't even bat an eye and she had it taken care of in less than five minutes.

Bea held up the rags. "Can I clean your wings?" She asked. "I won't go back to bed until I do!"

I eyed her and nodded slowly. It took a minute for me to get my wing to stretch out and relax because I was so nervous but Bea waited patiently. When they were both out and filling most of the room Bea started on the very tip of one, barely getting them wet as she dabbed the blood off bit by bit.

"You know you remind me of the colts we get sometimes," Bea said and scrubbed a little harder at a tough spot. "All skittish and lashing out in fear. But you aren't that bad if someone gives you a chance," she said and moved higher up my wing.

I had to admit her idea of me was pretty spot on. I rested my head on the bed and my wings shivered. I wouldn't even pretend to know how my muscles ran into my wings but the higher Bea got her light tugging every so often pulled at tight muscles like a half massage. When she finished with the one wing, leaving me all puffed up I was sad. But she only switched to the other one and the feeling started all over again.

Soon Bea got all the blood off and she set the rag away but her hands kept petting my wings gently, smoothing out any feathers she had ruffled. "How is your dragon?" She asked.

I barely made my shoulders rise and fall in a half hearted shrug. I was being lulled into a state of bliss by her scratching.  
Bea stopped and tiptoed out of the room to get something. She came back with the medication and I rolled up my sweatpants so she could apply the medicine to the dragon. When we both saw it our eyes widened.

The dragon was dull colored, far from its usual flowing splendor. There was no movement on it except a faint twitching of its tail. The area around the gash was darker then everything else, almost black. The second I laid eyes on it the echo on my ribs pinged with pain and I grunted.

"I don't think this going to help," Bea said and wiped her finger clean. She bit her lip and looked at me with wide eyes.

I lifted my shirt to look at my ribs and the same darkening was there too. If I was sick why didn't I feel bad? Just very, very tired. So tired. I yawned and rested against the bed again.

"Don't go to sleep! Maybe you won't wake up!" Bea said horrified and shook me. "We have to tell Mr. Tiny!" She didn't like him either but apparently the depth of her fear was enough to ignore that.

I shook my head. Mr. Tiny was sleeping. Besides I had vowed to ignore that man for at least a century. I crawled back into bed, folding my wings over my body and watched Bea pace around the room. Her pacing was making my eyes droop too.

"Shadow I'm sorry," Bea decided and raced out of the room, probably heading for Mr. Tiny.

I had a moment of absolute terror and I sat up before noting I could no longer see my legs. Interesting. I had turned myself invisible again. I rolled down my sweat pants after feeling for the leg of them and managed to stuff the bloody sheet and blanket into the back of the closet. It was odd seeing the blankets float in mid air even though I knew I was holding them. After that I waited. I could smell Bea and I didn't go after her only because her scent, besides spiking every so often was not scared or pain filled. I had to get into the rest of the house so Mr. Tiny had no chance of finding me. The thought of him looking at my dragon was enough to make me shake my bedroom. I reached for the doorknob but had to leap backwards when the door swung open, revealing Mr. Tiny in a green nightgown and Bea hovering behind his legs. I had to stuff my undamaged hand in my mouth to stifle the snort. Mr. Tiny in a nightgown?

"Where is he?" Mr. Tiny asked without an ounce of tiredness in his voice. He didn't sound angry, or anything just interested about the situation. I wondered how much Bea had told him.

Bea poked her head into the room. "I won't tell you until you promise not to hurt him!" She said bravely. "He is hurt but I still won't tell you anything else!"

Mr. Tiny rolled his eyes. "I will not harm him foolish child." His eyes scanned the room but never paused on me.

"It's his hand and his dragon. I think he bit himself. His dragon is all dark and its not moving crazily like it normally does," Bea said anxiously.

I wanted to get angry and throw things for Bea telling him, but I understood why she had done it.

"Really? Does his dragon have a wound on it?" Mr. Tiny asked and I could smell his entire being shift from only interested to intense about the whole thing.

"Yes. He told me that a bad witch hit him with a shovel," Bea informed the magician slowly.

Mr. Tiny clenched his hands into fists briefly. "I see." He looked around the room again. "Shadow?" he asked, like I would actually answer him. He turned to Bea and studied the girl. "Why were you in here?"

"I heard him and cleaned blood off his wings!" Bea said proudly.

"He let you?" Mr. Tiny asked disbelievingly.

"Yes and he got all silly," Bea giggled.

I had?

"He acted all sleepy when I was done and I thought it was because he was hurt but I think it started when I cleaned his wings," Bea added.

I blushed at the same time Mr. Tiny smirked.

Bea moved into the middle of the room and somehow her eyes flicked to the corner I was standing in. "Um, Shadow if you come out I promise lots of wing massages."

That sounded perfectly fine to me and I barely kept myself from appearing.

"Ill put the kittens on you too," Bea said. "Kittens and wing massages!" She stepped a little closer to me and then a little closer. Her hand rested on my chest and she grinned. "Hi."

Mr. Tiny snapped toward us and before I could bolt he had shunted aside Bea and wrapped his arm around my waist, carrying me kicking and screaming toward the bed. Bea started to scream too and pounded on Mr. Tiny's back, but she could have been an ant for all the attention he gave to her. I sank my fangs into his arm but all that gave me was blood I had been needing anyway.

"Stop," Mr. Tiny said and set me on the bed on my stomach.

I didn't stop of course and kept fighting like a wild thing, using my invisibility until it flickered out. Even then I fought harder until red ropes flowed from Mr. Tinys hands and wrapped around my legs, back and arms, pinning me to the bed.

"Kindly resume what you were doing with his wings," Mr. Tiny ordered Bea.

"No! You are a bad man!" Bea screamed and threw a book at him.

"Very well," Mr. Tiny said and ran his glowing hands over me until he found where the dragon was on my leg. He started to roll up my pant leg and I lost it.

I screamed so loud that the window blew out. The room temperature dropped about fifty degrees and I snapped the now frozen ropes. I sprang to a crouch on the bed and knocked Mr. Tiny over as I barreled into him, not intending to escape this time. I wanted to kill. Feathers flowed over my body until I had more of them then skin and I punched Mr. Tiny in the stomach, ripping and tearing into him with long claws. I didn't know if I was even doing damage but I was going to keep going until he was in pieces all over the bedroom. In the background Bea was dancing back and forth, lobbing whatever she found at Mr. Tiny. I couldn't believe Pandora hadn't heard what was going on.

" Enough Shadow!" Mr. Tiny snapped and lashed back at me. His blow caught me on the stomach and it was hard enough to launch me backwards, spinning into the wall where I crumpled to the ground.

I sprang up, wobbling unsteadily. The magic was at my fingertips, ready to be controlled but the problem was I had no idea what would take Mr. Tiny out of action without hurting anyone else. So I jumped out the broken window and onto the ground. But my body was boomeranged back inside before I had even taken a step, dragged to Mr. Tinys feet and hauled upright. It was satisfying to see that his nightgown was a bit shredded, but not nearly enough.

"Settle down. I have no intention of harming your precious dragon," Mr. Tiny said in what he probably thought was a soothing voice.

Frost was covering the floor and covering Mr. Tiny's hands where he held me now. I yanked backwards but his grip was like steel.

Mr. Tiny frowned and suddenly the bedroom vanished.

I stood up in a bunch of tall grass. Mr. Tiny was gone and nothing but fields stretched out around me. It took awhile for my magic to relax and seep back inside me but when it did I flopped to the ground and panted. If his idea of a punishment was to leave me in the middle of nowhere he was loosing his touch. I folded my wings and started walking in a random direction, but after only a minute a shadow fell over me. A very big shadow. I turned around and looked up. A giant red dragon was towering over me, bigger then anything I had ever seen in my life. I stared at it for a second before self preservation kicked in and I ran. My wings spread and I started to take flight when a massive paw closed around me, forcing my wings to fold. The paw lifted me up to the dragons face and I glared at it sullenly.

The dragon studied me before putting me down, and I immediately shifted into a dragon myself.

I was tiny compared to the other dragon but I faced up to it like an angry kitten and hissed, back arching. The wound on my ribs, not just an echo anymore ached and stung. I hadn't remembered it hurting that bad the last time.

The dragon looked amused and actually laid down, putting its head on the ground to be at my height. It was only by the look in its eyes that I figured out it was Mr. Tiny.

I wasn't nearly as afraid of him even though he had become much bigger. Instead I was feeling curious. I walked right up to his massive head and sniffed him. I squeaked like a baby kitten when a tongue as big as my middle licked the wound on my ribs, wiping away the blood that had started to stain my flank. Only when I was very soggy did he stop and study me again. If I had been human my cheeks would have been bright red. Who knew dragons could squeak?

A paw came down and easily pinned me to the ground. Apparently playtime was over.

I closed my eyes and shivered under the talons that could skewer me easily but nothing happened except strange warmth on my side. I opened my eyes and nearly had a heart attack. Mr. Tiny was breathing fire over my side. When the fire stopped there was no trace of the ugly gash and my pain was gone. I was no longer wet which Mr. Tiny decided to fix by once again licking me all over. Of course I squeaked every single time until I wanted to sink into the ground and die. The sound wasn't something I could control apparently, but for whatever reason every time I made it Mr. Tiny seemed to get happier. Maybe both of us had gotten cursed with personality transplants. When I was without protest sopping wet I shook myself and looked up at the dragon. Thankfully I had stopped squeaking and now I was just exhausted from fighting and being up at two in the morning.

The world shimmered and I was back in the bedroom. The damaged window was fixed and there was new bedding on the bed. Bea was asleep on one half of it. I hung from Mr. Tiny's grip without complaint and just stared at him. There was no other word for it; I felt like a kitten being held by its scruff.

"Was that so bad?" Mr. Tiny asked amiably. While the dragon had an odd sort of mothering personality to it, all traces of that in him was gone now.

I squeaked and clapped a hand over my mouth.

Mr. Tiny chuckled and deposited me on the bed next to Bea. "Try not to maul yourself before breakfast," he said and wandered out of the room. The door shut behind him.

I crawled under the soft blankets and stared into space. After I got over the shock I wrapped around Bea protectively and rested my head on the pillows. If I squeaked one more bloody time I was going to hunt Mr. Tiny down.

"Shadow you are squishing me!" Bea complained and poked me in the side.

I blinked and stretched. Instead of a normal greeting I rumbled at Bea happily, my entire body vibrating.

Bea giggled. "Are you purring?" She asked. She placed her hand on my side and laughed harder. "You are!"

I rolled out of bed and hopped around, trying to find a fresh pair of jeans. All the while I did not stop purring. I ducked into the bathroom to change and when I came out I was _still _purring. Bea giggled the entire time and it was only when I started to brush my teeth did last nights events come rushing back. I froze with the toothbrush in my mouth and groaned, thumping my head against the wall. I carefully lifted my shirt and sure enough the dragon was back to its usual wriggly, healthy self. I came out of the bathroom and finally the purring stopped.

"Aw," Bea said disappointed when she noticed and the bedroom door swung open, revealing Pandora. She stared around the wrecked room with her eyebrows raised. Mr. Tiny had done nothing about the stuff Bea had thrown at him. "I don't want to know," she said eventually and pointed. "Breakfast is done." She vanished.

"Why did you stop?" Bea asked immediately.

I shrugged and walked out of the bedroom with Bea close behind. The smell of bacon and eggs was too mouth-watering to ignore. I sat at the table in front of Mr. Tiny who had a newspaper over his face. Eventually he lowered it down and leveled me with a blank expression.

"It is time for us to move on," he said. "Shadow needs to be trained and he will do little here with kittens and little girls fawning over him."

My body stilled and Bea closed her hand around mine. It felt like the little bit of sturdy ground I had found to stand on had just crumbled away. If Mr. Tiny made me leave there was little I would be able to do about it.

"Really?" Pandora said disapprovingly.

"Yes," Mr. Tiny said and there was no room for discussion in his tone.

I stood up and glared at Mr. Tiny through blurred vision. "I hate you!" I screamed and ran from the room. From behind me came the sound of shattering glass and I guessed Bea had thrown a dish at Mr. Tiny. I ran to my room and stuffed my belongings back into the bag. Bea came in a second later and wrapped her arms around me in a big hug, sniffling into my shirt.

"Don't go!" She begged.

I crouched down and hugged her back. "Tell your mother thank you for everything," I said and pried Bea off me. I had enough blood for a couple weeks. "I will visit," I assured Bea and whispered in her ear.

Bea nodded and wiped her face. "I will." She stood back and watched as I shouldered my back and applied glamours over my non human parts.

I took one last look around the bedroom and wiped my own face before closing my eyes in concentration.

Mr. Tiny burst into the room, his hand outstretched and darting toward my collar. His mouth opened to say something but it was too late. I turned on my heel and with a loud crack vanished from the room.

I appeared on the sidewalk of a large city and looked around, easily melting into the crowd. Mr. Tiny would be hunting me but he would find nothing until I needed more blood. If the only way to make him learn was by taking the most drastic measures I would do it over and over. I pulled my hood low over my face and raised my hand for a taxi. Since the dragon was healed I could tell my body wanted to change again and I had to find somewhere quiet to do so. I hoped the tail and wings would leave. They were cool and all but having random humans stepping on it was not fun. My bag was safely hidden with a touch of magic so I didn't need to worry.

I didn't make it to the taxi and instead stumbled into a quiet alleyway where I stuck my bag into hiding and underwent a transformation. Instead of something happening with my wings or tail as I had expected my entire body stiffened and my vision went black for a second but I could feel my muscles and bones shifting and changing. When it was done I was standing in the ruins of my clothing and I had paws. Paws! I turned in circles several times to get a look at myself and groaned. I was some kind of dog. I dragged my bag into a better hiding place and practiced movement in the alley until I could walk in a straight line. I was shocked of course but also resigned. Hey, I didn't have a tail anymore and Mr. Tiny wasn't looking for a mutt.

I emerged from the alley and trotted up the street, weaving in and out of legs until I found a shop window to look at myself in. I was a large dog and I had a thin, tall body. I guessed I was at least partly greyhound but my fur was thicker then they usually had. My eyes were the same as they had been before so I would have to be careful. I could still feel the dragon but the fur hid it nicely.

"Hey pooch are you lost?" A mans voice asked and he tried to grab me.

I shot away and sent the man on his butt when he caught a glimpse of my eyes. It wasn't Mr. Tiny and I highly doubted he would ever say the word "pooch."

I marched down the main street and my nose twitched when I caught the smell of hotdogs. I gave into doggy instincts and shot away, racing through traffic toward the wonderful smell. If I was stuck like this for a while I was going to enjoy it!

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***gives out free candy bars, popcorn and pretzels* **


	17. Chapter 17- Dog Days

**A.N. Thank you for all the reviews! I am grateful you didn't give up on the story! I just looked at the word count today and it is definitely going to be longer than the first one. I hadn't noticed it had gotten so long o.0**

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Stealing food from unsuspecting people had become an art by the next day since for the time being I was stuck as a dog. The park was the best place to do it I found out, because there were so many food stalls and handy benches. I just had to wait for someone to sit down with their freshly bought hotdog, hamburger or any other treat before darting in and snatching it out of their hands. Sometimes the person tried to hold onto their food but they always let go at one flash of my eyes. I was careful who I flashed them at though. One of these days it could end up being Mr. Tiny which would be the stupidest mistake I could make. Every so often I stole water bottles and bit the top off for water.

This time however it was just a human and I bolted away with my prize: an extra thick hamburger with bacon spilling out the sides. The only hard part about this life was the cold. Snow hadn't fallen while I had been there but there was some left from past storms and it made my paws constantly cold and wet. Sometimes icicles formed and I had to chew them off. The other enemy I had besides Mr. Tiny was Animal Control. People had been reporting a dog stealing their food so I had to run to different sections of the park to avoid them. I had also figured out that I was in New York so I was in Central Park most of the time. More than once I thought I had caught Mr. Tiny's scent but each time it drifted away in the wind faster then I could track it. I carried my treat into a stand of bushes and ripped into the hamburger, discarding the lettuce, tomato and cheese. The bread and meat I devoured quickly. During one of my escapes from Animal Control I had discovered that I had acquired spikes that appeared when I was feeling threatened. They were about four inches long and ran up my spine. Normally they were flat along my back but when they chose to appear it gave everyone a shock. The guys chasing me had been stunned into slowing down and I made an easy escape into the city. I knew Mr. Tiny would get word of the monster dog running around and put two and two together but right now I was fine.

I emerged from the bushes licking my chops and gazed around. It was noon so plenty of people were out and coming around the bend were two Animal Control officers carrying catch poles. Now that I had eaten enough for the day I wagged my tail and decided to have some fun. I stuck my nose close to the ground and wandered around, gradually getting closer and closer to them. The men noticed; both lowered the poles and strode toward me. I gave them until the catch poles dangled dangerously close before taking off like a shot down the path. Three people leapt aside as I barreled into their group and one started to laugh. I barked and my tail spun in circles while I led the officers up and down and around the twisting paths, always staying slow enough to give them a chance but never slow enough.

"Stay!" One of the officers yelled and threw his catch pole. It bounced off my flank and I skittered sideways into an old guy feeding squirrels. The squirrels fled and I jumped over the bench but the old man moved with surprising dexterity and grabbed me around the middle.

"Thank you," the other two officers panted while I squirmed to get away.

"He is my dog," the old man said quickly and patted the top of my head. "And you made him bleed!" He touched the place where the catch pole had hit and his fingers came away red. It wasn't a very big cut but the old guy tore into the guys until they looked embarrassed.

"Sorry," they said after giving a warning to keep me on a leash and wandered off looking guilty.

The old man set me down and I sniffed his fingers. He wasn't Mr. Tiny. I barked quietly and wagged my tail.

"Let's get you fixed up," the old man said and brushed squirrel food off his clothes. He started walking away and I followed at his heels. "You are pretty big…probably something in there besides greyhound," he said thoughtfully and smiled. Out from his jacket pocket he brought a collar and leash which he clipped around me. I didn't protest since it would be easy to escape. I hated the feeling of the collar though and my tail was tucked the entire time I followed him.

We walked into the city and around a few blocks before the old man brought me into a warehouse that looked ready to fall down. Once inside he looped my leash around a pole and started pulling off his jacket and with growing alarm I saw he wasn't an old man after all. His beard, stunted posture and tattered clothes had been a disguise. He was actually a man in his forties and his face had changed from kind to hard and cold.

I tugged on the pole but the leash choked me and I gagged.

"Don't try that," the man said evenly and pulled up a wobbly plastic chair to sit on. "I am going to get a good price for you."

No he wasn't. I turned and faced the pole. Apparently being a dog was getting to me, I was slipping into its senses and head. I dug my heels into the floor and yanked, ignoring the feeling of choking to death. The pole gave and I bolted toward the exit with the pole clanking across the floor behind me. The guy yelled and dove but missed and I was outside. My spines were in full view now and I was dragging the stupid pole up the street with a bleeding side. My day had gone from fantastic to horrible in seconds. People were chasing after me but I couldn't stop running. Then my leash went taut and I was pulled backwards so hard I flipped upside down for a second. My throat burned with pain and then hands were at my collar and pulling it off and releasing me from the pole. Apparently a mass of people had decided to come to my aid.

"That's my dog!" The man bellowed having made it out of the warehouse.

In the confusion I got to my feet and dodged legs and more hands until I was out of the crush and running. I slipped on ice and spun into the street, narrowly missing a taxi and bounced off a truck painfully. After that I made it back into the park without incident, feeling extremely battered. I went back to the bushes where I had eaten the burger and curled up, licking the cut on my side. I was extremely lucky nothing had hit the dragon but since each breath hurt I had to wonder if by hitting the truck I'd bruised or broken a rib. My throat was definitely damaged too. During my escape I had smelled Mr. Tiny for an instant I had wanted to go back. Punishing him wasn't worth this. But as always the smell vanished and I had run.

I got up and limped out of the bushes. People steered well away from me and I wondered why until I found something to look in. My fur was covered in snow and mud and one part of my flank was smeared red. I looked horrible so I tried to rub some of the mud off but it didn't work. I sighed and limped away, using the closest tree to rub off the stuff.

Later, I came back to myself and froze with one paw in the air. The last six hours was a blur of messing around with alley dogs and people. I was slowly but surely turning into a dog in my head too. Even now I was struggling to keep myself in charge and not let the mutt take over completely. It would be easier to be just a dog with no worries but everyday life but I could not let that happen.

What time was it now? I had no idea. It certainly wasn't the same day that I knew. My ribs were sticking

out oddly and the cut on my side looked inflamed. How had I lost this much weight? I focused on my human self and struggled to turn human but nothing happened. A passing scent caught my attention and I trotted after a human with a juicy hotdog, wavering between human and dog. I fought for as long as I could but eventually my mind slipped back behind the dog.

Now I was the dog and he was me. It was a much simpler life. The worries I'd had before were out of my head and only occasionally bothering me. I didn't know when it had happened and I didn't really care but I could no longer understand anyone. The last time I had drunken blood kept niggling at me but I shoved it away every time I saw a squirrel. I jumped at the latest one to evade my clutches and barked loudly; settling for sniffing around the base of the tree. I had gotten a yummy tidbit from the male human who ran the hot dog stand but it wasn't enough to sate the pressure in my gums or the hunger that couldn't be filled by anything. Sometimes when I caught my reflection in the shop I thought something was missing from me, but I didn't think about it for very long.

I put my nose to the ground and sniffed, hunting for something that I couldn't describe. I wanted to end my hunger and the thing I was tracking would stop it. I didn't know how or care, I just wanted to go and find it. I followed the scent out of the park and up and down several streets before I ended up back in the park all over again. I finally saw two people sitting at a bench with newspapers. From the other side of the path two men with catch poles rounded the corner.

The two men said something in a loud voice and ran at me brandishing the poles.

Common sense was screaming at me to run but I ignored it in favor of loping up to the two people. The one woman tried to shoo me away but the man focused on me and frowned. He had shiny green boots which I sniffed all over to see where he had been. A loop closed around my neck and pulled me away, aggravating the bruises around my neck already. I yelped and twisted frantically. The man said something and the pulling ceased. He crouched down in front of me, scratched mud off my face so he could properly see into my eyes and spoke but I just stared at him blankly. He sighed, lifted the loop over my neck and said something else to the guys. While they got into an argument I took off into the bushes. From behind came a shout and I smacked into something I couldn't see.

I turned with my tail securely between my legs and faced down the man. From behind his back he brought out a hotdog still in the bun and held it out to me coaxingly. I whined and paced back and forth, licking my chops. The guy shook the hot dog and broke off a little piece which he put in his palm. I licked my lips again and took wobbly step forward, teeth bared. The man smiled encouragingly and added a little piece of bun to the bit on his hand. My growling stomach won over caution and I darted forward to snatch up the food.

The man wrapped his hands around my middle and I growled, flailing around but he just wrapped a soft piece of rope around my chest like a harness and used the long bit to lead me away. Every so often he would break off another piece of the hotdog and give it to me. Whenever he took too long I bumped his hand impatiently and he would chuckle and hand over the treat. We got into a taxi and the man handed me the last bit of hotdog. "Good boy," he said.

I thumped my tail against the seat. I knew those words. For some reason the man frowned when I wagged and sighed so I stopped. The car ride was quiet and we got out, going into a large building and up several floors to the top. We went into a luxurious hotel room and the man undid the ropes from around my chest after sticking me in the bathroom.

"In," he said pointing at the tub.

I looked at the tub doubtfully. A dog could drown in there!

The man brought out another hotdog and waggled it, looking meaningfully at the tub.

I got in right away and sat down. The water that came out was nice and warm and I stuck my head under the faucet. The soap smelled like flowers and soon I was a bubbly dog. The soap stung when it got into my cut and I snapped at the mans hands until he rinsed it off. The towel dry was fun. I shook everywhere and got the man soaked from head to foot. Spinning in circles under the towel was fun too. He let me out into the main part of the hotel room and I ran around sniffing everything before the hotdog was chopped up and put into a dish along with a bowl of water. I ate and drank before the man called me over and had me sit in front of him. He pointed something at me and there was a bright flash of light but nothing happened. He did it again and still nothing. I snapped at the man the next time because it made me itch all over. The guy gave up and put cold stuff on my cut and then put something red in my water bowl. I sniffed it before downing the entire thing.

"Up," the man said and patted the bed next to me where he was watching TV. I lay down next to him and stretched out along his leg. He started to rub my side and I wagged my tail in approval. The show on TV was something I couldn't understand so I didn't bother to try and get it. Instead I yawned, tongue curling and closed my eyes.

Sometime during the night I became aware I had hands and feet instead of paws and that the mans feet smelled bad but I just rolled over and fell back asleep.

I had not given up on my mission of following the man around since early this morning when he had let me out after much badgering to use the bathroom. The short walk to the park and back had been filled with me lunging at squirrels and random people to sniff their shoes. I dimly remembered having hands and feet but since I had paws again it wasn't much of a concern. The man had eyed me for half the morning but he seemed resigned now.

I followed the man into the kitchen where he started cooking but someone at the door sent me skittering back into the main part of the hotel room and I barked at the door loudly, announcing that there was someone there.

"Shush," the man said and opened the door.

A woman stepped into the hotel room and there was split seconds pause in which we studied each other critically.

I lunged at her, foaming and snarling. My jaws closed around her wrist and she whipped around but I clung to her, drawing blood with great satisfaction. I didn't exactly remember why I hated this woman but I knew she had caused me pain. I only let go when a vase collided with my side and I dropped to the ground but objects started to fly around the room, lobbing themselves at the woman. A series of books hit her in the side and I lunged again but the man caught me and hauled me backwards. He dropped me on the bed and kept me there until I calmed down. However the second the woman came closer I attacked again.

"Shadow!" Yelled the man and I spun to him with wide startled eyes.

Why was he angry at me? In an instant I was hiding under the bed.

The man sat on the bed and I peered out from between his shoes, talking to the woman who stayed on the other side of the room. I heard my name several times before the woman replied and left the hotel room, shutting the door with a bang.

The man sat on the floor and held out a hotdog but no matter how much coaxing he did I refused to come out. Finally he threw up his hands and went back to cooking in the other room, leaving the food on the floor. Even when he came back with plates of food I had left the treat untouched.

"Come," the man said and turned on the television. He got into bed.

I crawled out and hopped onto the bed, but instead of stretching out next to him I curled up at the very end of the bed and turned my back to him. I was startled so badly I yelped when the man pulled me back and checked my side, applying more cold stuff.

"No biting," the man warned and tucked me under his arm.

I let out a giant sigh and chewed on his shirt sleeve. I would only bite squirrels and bad people. I dozed off for a little while. The man next to me shifted a little and I grunted irritably, holding onto his arm that had become my personal chew toy. When the man spoke to me, shaking my shoulder I jumped and sent the man a frustrated expression. Why had he woken me up? The man only sighed again and looked thoughtful.

The man fixed me with an intent expression, and I stared back, head tilting to one side. "Shadow," he said firmly. There was a lot of meaning in that single word. He gripped my jaw and brought my eyes on him when I looked away. His gaze bored into me until I got dizzy.

'_Turn back…' _a little voice said in my head. _'Turn back Shadow.' _ Images of a boy with wings and a tail flashed in front of my vision and I squirmed but the hand on my jaw would not let go. _'You can't hide in dogs mind forever.' _ The images of the boy changed again and he was sitting at a table screaming at the man. I growled and bit. Blood spurted into my mouth and I leapt off the bed, running toward the door. Apparently I didn't like this man after all. I went through the door, ignoring the fact that dogs weren't supposed to walk straight through wood and ran down the hallway. Behind me the hotel door was flung open and the man stalked after me. I kept going, rounding corners until I found stairs and I started down them. The floor felt unsteady underneath me and the stairs were even worse as dizziness threatened to send me spiraling into blackness. _'Change Shadow!' _ The voice demanded and I shook my head to try and clear it. _'You are a boy not a dog!' _I sent an image back of the same scene with the boy screaming at the man and kept going.

I reached a dead end at the bottom of the stairs and turned to face the man.

He raised his glowing finger and spoke two short words.

An intense feeling of being pulled came over me and I crumpled to the floor. My body arched off the floor and I was boy but I didn't want to be so I fought hard to go back. The man crouched over me, placing a blanket that had come out of nowhere over my naked body but I didn't care about that. Dogs weren't naked with fur. I managed to turn back but the man spoke those two words again and I was a boy. Three more times we tugged back and forth and three more times I was forced back into the shape of a human. By now I was covered in sweat and I knew my mouth was moving in words that were sometimes English, sometimes dog. I was pleading to be left alone. Eventually I ran out of power and I lay on the floor as a boy, shivering so hard my teeth clacked even though the air wasn't cold. I had no wings, no tail.

The man-Mr. Tiny frowned and an attentive expression crossed his face. "Why anyone would want to be a mutt so bad is beyond me," he murmured. He placed his hand on the side of my face and I flinched but before the motion had even finished the pull that kept me human ended and I was a dog again. Instantly my shivering stopped and I relaxed.

"Better?" The man asked and the blanket vanished.

I eyed him, the events from the past few minutes keeping me stiff and wary but an offered hotdog lured me back up the steps and into the hotel room. When we got into the room I snatched the hot dog, darted under the bed and refused to emerge. During that time I debated the pros and cons of being a dog. It was much simpler, I had nothing to worry about really except insane humans plus free hotdogs. On the other hand I had no thumbs which meant I was stuck pretty much wherever this man put me. I had neither good way of communication nor a voice if I wished to use it. So, on my own terms I struggled and eventually turned back into a boy. My wings and tail were back, but my clothes had not made the trip so I reached over the bed and pulled down the blanket.

Mr. Tiny peered under the bed just as I made myself modest and arched an eyebrow. "Why have you decided to change back now versus five minutes ago?" He asked in a grumbling tone.

I stared at him. I still did not like speaking but on occasion it was necessary. "I missed thumbs," I muttered and stretched stiff muscles.

Mr. Tiny withdrew for a second and then tossed down some clothes. He grumbled to himself all the way back into the kitchen where he started on another set of meals.

I crawled out from under the bed and stretched out my wings. Even while I had been a dog I had noticed their absence and it was nice to have them back. The memories from my time as a dog was a blur but a few facts did stand out and I blushed. "You called me a good boy!"

"Yes," Mr. Tiny said and smirked.

"I-I am not a good boy!" I exclaimed indignantly.

Mr. Tiny hummed to himself while he moved around the kitchen, completely ignoring me. Only when he slipped something into the oven did he turn and look at me; folding the apron he had been wearing. "Oh you aren't. You destroy things, constantly run off, make general chaos and force me to wander after your behind. Add in your insufferable stubbornness, reluctance to use magic and that adds up to a definite bad kid." He raised a finger and cut off my sharp retort. "A bad human child. But you are not human are you? All the things I mentioned I would expect from a child of your….type. I would be greatly disappointed if you did not deliver on everyday trouble," he said smiling widely. "This is the most fun I have had in years. Considering I am figuring out the inner workings of a teenager that is saying something."

I stood there gaping for a second before I came up with an answer. "You haven't figured out jack squat about me," I said snidely.

"Really?" Mr. Tiny smiled wide again and a shiver went up my spine. "Keep telling yourself that." He tucked the apron into a cupboard. "We will be going back to my tent. I prefer my own rooms much better. Your precious rug will be there too."

I blushed. "Humph," I said and turned to go.

"I think I have found a temporary solution for your nightmares," Mr. Tiny said conversationally.

"What?" I said and turned around so fast my neck hurt.

"You will simply turn into your dragon. It will not do in a public situation but in the tent will be fine. Remember when I took you to the field? You slept deeply afterward and staying in dragon form will merely assure your sleep," Mr. Tiny said looking smug. "I will also fetch Harkat."

I felt like jumping for joy and running down the street to tell everyone. "But what if I get stuck like with the dog?"

"Oh you will get trapped sometimes. However, unlike the dog your mindset will be closer to that of you as a human so the consequences are smaller."

"Okay…but I'm not exactly small," I said worriedly. "I would fill up the entire tent and more."

"I will assist with that. Now do you have anymore questions or can I finish here? Time is wasting," Mr. Tiny said.

"I need my bag."

Mr. Tiny pointed at the bed. "You will find it there," he said.

I went back to the beds and the second I was facing away from Mr. Tiny I grinned. No nightmares plus having Harkat back? That sounded good to me. Now all that was left was Harrison, finding my sword and ridding myself of the gods so I could fix everyone. If I could even fix them. I shouldered my bag and nodded thoughtfully. First would be the sword.

"Harrison is mine," I called over my shoulder to Mr. Tiny. "I will be the one to rip him apart. Not you."

"Of course dear boy. Who am I to stand in the way of sweet revenge?"

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**R&amp;R Please :D :D *dumps buckets of candy* **


	18. Chapter 18- Back Again

**A.N. Thank you for all the reviews. Tara I read the one you left on Destiny Rejected and it inspired me to write finally. Last time I updated I did have this chapter almost done but then a couple days later my Grandmother lost her cat and I lost my almost ten year old rabbit. It hit me hard and I lost my writing ideas for awhile and I am sorry. I hope you all understand and I will do my best to keep getting chapters to you guys on a timely basis. **

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Mr. Tiny stood in front of Harkat and I patiently picking at his fingernails. When we finally stopped talking to each other he raised his eyebrows and coughed to get our attention. "Now boys. As much as we all love traveling in high style," he said and gestured to our tent. "I think it is time we shed our five star accommodations and go on a little adventure."

Harkat and I exchanged a glance that was part excitement, part worry.

"Don't look so upset," Mr. Tiny chided. He smiled widely. "Where we are going the tent will have no place. In the times I have left you alone I have been searching for an object of mine that has been lost. A sword in fact."

My eyes widened.

Mr. Tiny led us to our tent and showed us the sword rack where I had somehow added another layer to it. He said nothing about it but explained more. "Each sword has a commonly known name in legend. I had thought the original had only a twin blade, a sister or daughter if you will. But apparently there are two blades that go alongside it." He looked meaningfully at the bottom rack and I bit my tongue. "So now my hunt is including the two other swords as well." His eyes grazed over mine and a light smirk crossed his face before vanishing.

"Why do you want us to go now?" I asked. I wasn't complaining in the slightest, but I was curious.

"In the past when I have left you alone with "babysitters" it has never gone well. You two can't stay out of trouble and your aid may be helpful," Mr. Tiny said shrugging. "I believe the swords may have gone back to the place of their creation."

"How could there be three now and you not know about it? Wouldn't have all three of them been made before?" I asked.

"Yes. The original was known to me first and then the second and now the third. But they only reveal themselves when they want to."

"Do you know what they look like?" I asked.

"Two of them I knew. But that matters little as their looks change depending on the era, the seasons and anything else that effects magic," Mr. Tiny said.

"What are the swords names?" Harkat asked.

Mr. Tiny pointed to the first rack where his sword would have laid. "La Tizona. A sword that was said to make its enemies swoon upon sight of it. Magicians got their hands on it and embedded magic so deep inside the blade it took on a life of its own." He pointed to the second rack which would have been Evannas. "The last surviving Ulfberht blade. It was a Viking sword made from highly advanced materials and over the centuries it gained magic of its own." He pointed at the last rack and smiled. "Last but not least is the Sword in the Stone or Excalibur."

I reeled for a second and nearly missed Harkats shocked question.

"What makes the swords come to you?" He asked.

"They automatically go to the strongest magicians," Mr. Tiny said.

I crouched down and stared at the empty sword rack where Excalibur would have been. My hands traced the empty groove where the hilt should have been and I looked up at Mr. Tiny who was smiling indulgently. "So when you said the swords have gone back to their place of creation you mean…."

"Yes. Camelot."

"That can't be possible!" Harkat interjected.

"After all you have seen are you really going to dismiss anything as impossible?" Mr. Tiny asked, arching an eyebrow. "Evanna is on a quest for her own sword so we shall go for La Tizona first. Then Excalibur."

I stood up. "Whose sword is Excalibur?" I asked.

"Do you really need to ask that question?" Mr. Tiny said blandly.

"No way!" Harkat said spluttering. "You know the person who pulls Excalibur out of the stone is destined to rule."

I shook my head. "Rule over what exactly?"

Mr. Tiny chuckled. "That remains to be seen." He tossed both Harkat and I rugged looking backpacks. "Take what you want in these. Clothes, weapons and any other trinkets you might need. The big tent as I said will not be coming with us. I will take care of food." He pulled out his heart shaped watch. "You have one hour until we go." He left the tent whistling loudly.

I mutely started folding clothes and shoving them into the backpack. Mr. Tiny from before hadn't thought it necessary to tell me what the swords actually were but now with no memories he did? It didn't make any sense. I longed to tell him exactly what I remembered, to give back everyone's memories. I could feel the blocks in the group when I reached toward them with magic; it was like a brick wall standing between me and them. But the gods would rip us apart if I tore them apart. However with the sword I might have a chance. The sword had been powerful when I had it before but perhaps it would be stronger now that I was too.

"So King Arthur was a magician?" Harkat said into the silence.

I folded a pair of pants and sighed. "I didn't think so. All the stories said it was Merlin." I was still in shock from knowing the name of my sword.

"Well maybe the stories are wrong," Harkat said. He grabbed a set of his robes and put them in.

"Maybe…" I said. I finished with the clothes and dumped the bottles of Mr. Tinys blood down the bathroom sink. It was old and I would be traveling with the man anyway. When I went back into the main part of the tent a giant pile of camping supplies were waiting. There was another backpack full to the brim already which had to be Mr. Tiny. I peeked inside his backpack and saw nothing in there but an actual regular camping tent. I tied a sleeping bag to the outside of my backpack. "We should each take some of both in case we get separated," I said. In went matches, water bottles, a first aid kit, some rope and bags of trail mix. I grabbed some knives and holstered them onto my belt. Last of all into my bag went the "Oliver Twist" book, and the feather.

"I feel like we should change clothes," Harkat said and looked at us. We were wearing relaxed clothes and not at all sturdy shoes.

I nodded in agreement and we ran into separate rooms. I changed into the toughest jeans I could find, and pair of hiking boots. I cut slits into the back of a new shirt for my wings first and flared out my wings when I put the shirt on to make sure no feathers got caught. "I think I'm ready," I said to Harkat after rejoining with him. My tail was curled around my waist above my jeans. I hadn't felt like cutting holes in the seat of my pants.

"I can't believe we are doing this," Harkat said.

Mr. Tiny came back into the tent and nodded. "Excellent." He swung his backpack over his shoulder. "Ready? We have a train to catch."

"Where are we going? Why don't you just transport us there?"

"Spain. I cannot use magic to find the sword. I can use it on other things but anything that would get us closer to it will only cause the weapon to move. We must take every step closer by common means," Mr. Tiny said. He gave both Harkat and I a necklace with a stone on the chain. There were different runes on each. "This is for your wings and other looks. Harkat yours will make you look human again."

We put them on and left the tent. Behind us it collapsed into a square and Mr. Tiny put it into his pocket. The Cirque Du Freak members waved us off and soon we were swallowed by tall waving grasses and the tents faded behind us.

"I rented a lovely sleeper car for us with two beds. Shadow you will not be taking up an entire mattress in your dragon form so I did not buy a bed for you," Mr. Tiny said.

I nodded. "Okay." My wings stretched out again and the dragon twirled excitedly on my back. Without a word I brought my wings down, once, twice and launched into the air. The extra weight from the back made me wobble a bit but soon I was circling evenly above Harkat and Mr. Tiny. They looked up at me and Harkat waved. I dove toward them and came up just short, brushing my wingtips across Harkats head. The world looked so beautiful up here. It was a far cry to how it looked from the ground. I spun and danced through the air, always keeping the others in sight. When the distant sound of cars reached my ears I coasted toward the ground reluctantly admitting that allowing humans to see me was not a good idea. It would cause general panic and Harrison would be sent running toward us. I landed and ran forward a few feet, folding my wings awkwardly. Landing was still iffy.

"You've been up there for a couple hours," Harkat said amused.

"What!" I said. It had seemed like only a few minutes.

Mr. Tiny stopped and pulled out his heart shaped watch. "I think it would be best if I aided you in your dragon form now. No doubt you will be silly with experimenting in your new form and if I did it later there would be no sleep for anyone." He looked at his watch. "It is five now and our train leaves at six thirty."

"But…" I said awkwardly. "I thought I would have my own mind."

"Yes. You will certainly have more faculties then a dog but you will still have dragon's tendencies." He pointed at my chest. "That dragon is your baser instincts hidden away so whatever they are will come to the forefront for awhile until you gain control which will not happen for several changes at minimum." He smiled. "You could turn into a wild beast, a pathetic whimpering fledgling or a healthy curious animal. Nothing can be hidden in your dragon form."

I swallowed hard. "Oh." I thought about what had happened at Harrison's and how terrified I had been. How I had tried to shove those feelings away and drown them. "I don't know if this is a good idea."

Mr. Tiny clicked his fingers. A harness appeared around my chest and stomach with a leash that was in his hands. Thankfully it had no collar. "To humans you will be a cat. Don't worry you won't be getting out of that." He smiled like a shark. "I am quite curious to see your inner psyche." His hands glowed bright red and my dragon vibrated.

"Wait!" I said but my vocal cords started to change and it was too late to say anything else. I doubled over and my muscles and bones started to shift and shrink. Some vanished altogether while others melted into a new shape. It didn't hurt it was just extremely disconcerting. I went blind and deaf last of all and then my mind shifted. I came too in a pile of clothes and I squeaked loudly, tearing at them with my tiny body wildly. The clothes were lifted up and I was too. It took a minute to remember the guys name but yes it was Mr. Tiny. He patted me on the head and I sank my little teeth into his finger and tried to fly away at top speed. The harness brought me up short and I flailed around desperately. I was no larger then a kitten!

Mr. Tiny brought me back, wrapping the leash around his hand until I was sitting in both of his cupped palms. There was no trace of the bite mark on his finger.

I wrapped my tail which was longer then my entire body around myself and cowered, shaking miserably. The world was so big and I didn't like it one bit. Plus everything seemed ten times scarier including Mr. Tiny.

Mr. Tiny said rubbed my tiny head with his thumb. "I wasn't expecting you to be quite that small," he said amused. My backpack floated next to him, shrank and went into a side pocket on Harkats bag.

Harkat peered over Mr. Tinys shoulder still looking worried. "He looks terrified!" He said and his loud voice made me squawk loudly at him. "Can I take him?" He asked quieter.

"No. Even though he is so small he is still extremely strong. He could fly away with you if he really wanted," Mr. Tiny said and kept rubbing my head. He started walking again.

"He is so cute," Harkat said highly amused.

I glowered at him as only a baby dragon could but the rubbing on my feathers was making it hard to think. Mr. Tiny hit an itchy spot behind my ear and I rumbled quietly.

Mr. Tiny laughed and set me on his shoulder, carefully keeping the leash tied around his arm.

I was still frightened but now at least I could see what was going on and I tucked myself against his neck, shivering every so often. The car noises were getting closer and closer and I growled.

"I did not expect you to be quite this unbalanced," Mr. Tiny admitted to me without looking in my direction.

Harkat sighed. "I'm pretty sure I would be the same if that happened to me."

"True," Mr. Tiny hummed, sounding unapologetic. He stepped onto the road and a car whizzed by.

I went absolutely crazy and tried to bolt backwards away from the giant metal monsters that were flying at us at top speed. Of course I went absolutely nowhere but that didn't stop me from trying. I yanked so hard it hurt my midsection and Mr. Tiny grabbed me.

"Stop it. I am sure you know what cars are," he said sternly.

I bit him again.

"Stop it," Mr. Tiny said even more sternly.

I tilted my ears and chomped on his wrist.

Behind us Harkat was covering his mouth and his shoulders were shaking with laughter.

Mr. Tiny rolled his eyes. "Your bites are like a mosquito. The energy could be used better elsewhere." He narrowed his eyes. "So cease biting me."

I narrowed my eyes back and fluffed up my feathers before clamping down on his pinky.

"You know," Harkat said between snickers. "That arguing with a baby is pretty much useless so arguing with a baby dragon Shadow? Ten times more useless."

A semi truck barreled by and I dove forward, trying to hide in Mr. Tinys armpit and failing.

"Here," Mr. Tiny said and unzipped his backpack. He put me in a side pocket which I fit into perfectly. He zipped it up part way and I nestled into the soft fabric. The car noises were faded in here and I curled up, resting my tail over my nose.

I could hear Harkat messing with something and then his fingers poked into the zipper. I almost bit him too but he dropped a couple pieces of trail mix. I gobbled them up and stuck my nose out, begging for more. Harkat obliged and for the next little while he fed me trail mix. Only when my stomach was bulging did I turn my head away from his fingers.

Eventually the car noises went away and I poked my head out to see we were in a quiet train station surrounded by forest. The parking lot was off in the distance and the only people were an elderly couple a few benches to the left. Harkat found a long branch with pine needles on it and dragged the thing on the ground. My eyes widened and I watched it closely but I did not come out of my pocket to chase it. It was much safer in here and I was sleepy.

"Come on Shadow," Harkat coaxed. He twitched the branch and set it on the bench right in front of me.

I stuck one paw out and caught part of the branch in my claws. It darted back and forth but I chewed on the branch to keep it within my grasp. All of a sudden the entire branch turned into ice and then I did jump out of my pocket to get a better grip on it and I tried to pull it into the pocket with me but it wouldn't fit.

"I will not have icicles in my pocket," Mr. Tiny grumbled and took it away from me.

I squeaked sadly and curled back into my pocket all the way. This time sleep seemed much to nice and I quickly fell into it.


	19. I am back! (Author note please read!)

Hello,

I am sure you all thought I had abandoned the story, fallen off the face of the earth or something equally horrible. I didn't! There was a series of unfortunate events. My computer finally bit the dust and I was unable to write at all which sucked so much. It killed me not updating this story for so long. I hope you can forgive me!

Until now I have not been able to write. For months I could not afford to get a new laptop, but all the saving has paid off. I am now back in business : ) The next chapter of this will be up tomorrow probably in the evening EST time. It is too late now for me to finish it. Because I have a job and will be going to college you can expect a chapter every two weeks. If I get more free time it will be more often than that.

:D  
This story will be completed!


	20. Chapter 20- Train Ride Part 1

The smell of food woke me up and I stretched lazily, curling my lips back over pointy fangs as I yawned. I wasn't in the pocket anymore; I was draped over Mr. Tiny's knee. I snapped at him when he set me on the seat but his transgressions were momentarily forgotten when a plate of food was set in front of me loaded with chicken and potatoes. Next to it was a vial of Mr. Tinys blood. I chirped at Harkat and started using my tongue as a shovel to scoop up the potatoes. The train started to move and I lifted my head to stare out the window. The parking lot was slowly receding behind us and I turned to watch it go until the chicken called me back and I tore it into with my teeth.

When I was done Mr. Tiny picked me up much to my displeasure, pinched one wing gently between his finger tips and spread it out while keeping me wedged between his knees so I couldn't get away. I growled and dug my claws into the seat but there was no getting out. Mr. Tiny uncapped a bottle of something and started spreading the salve on my wing. It was cold and I strained my neck around to try and bite him but I was too small. The other wing was done the same way and he rubbed it in. He let me go and I sprang to the other side of the train room hissing loudly.

"What is that?" Harkat asked curiously.

"A salve to keep his wings knitted together. He may have healed them by magic but in case that comes undone I am doing some extra insurance. Only a few more applications and it won't matter if his magic on the wings fails," Mr. Tiny explained and sighed at me. "Come here Shadow you have food on you."

No way. I hunkered on Harkats bed and growled dangerously.

Mr. Tiny tugged on the leash and I went flying into his lap. With deft movements he used the napkin to get shreds of chicken off my chin and held up the vial of blood. "If you want to go without this…?" He teased.

I turned my head away. I was hungry for it but Mr. Tinys bottled blood was much easier to resist. It just didn't smell that good after it had been sitting in there for a couple hours.

Mr. Tiny picked up a butter knife and before I could panic he drew a thin line on his arm that welled with blood. "Drink," he said sternly.

I swallowed and shuffled my feet around, trying to deny my hunger but when red started to drip down his arm I leapt forward and lapped at the cut. With each lick of my sand paper tongue the hunger started to fade away.

Harkat watched with disgusted fascination. "He is going to be so mad at you in the morning."

Mr. Tiny shrugged and the movement shifted his arm. I wrapped my paws around him, digging my claws in just a bit to keep him still. "I do not care." He looked down at me and I could feel his eyes on where I fed.

"What if he leaves again?" Harkat pressed.

"He will not," Mr. Tiny said surely.

"How do you know?" Harkat asked.

"Shadow wants his sword and if he runs he will never get it."

I took a couple more licks and released Mr. Tiny to clamber up on the window sill. Their conversation didn't mean as much to me in dragon form. The scenery rushing by kept my head turning and mind busy as my heat seeking eyes scoped out deer in the shrubbery.

"Bathroom," Harkat muttered and sat up. He held out his hand for my harness. "If you expect him to sleep he needs exercise."

I took offense to that. I wasn't some dog that needed to go for a walk! Humans saw me as a cat anyway.

Mr. Tiny frowned but handed over the leash. "Be careful." He brought out a book from nowhere and my head turned to look at him as Harkat led me out of the compartment. Mr. Tiny reading? He hadn't done that for awhile.

"I think we need to get dessert on our way back," Harkat said. The train car we were in next had a little bar full of cookies and other snacks.

I chirped my agreement from my place on his shoulder. A scent wafted in from the next passenger car and I tilted my head, craning my neck out to get more of it. When I did I reared back and snarled. I flipped head over paws and tore backwards, dragging Harkat down when the leash ran out of line. I pulled him along the dessert car and back into ours, banging headfirst against the door until Mr. Tiny opened it and let us in. I hid under the cot and mewled loudly.

"Ow," Harkat said and sat up rubbing his head. "Shadow?" He leaned down and looked under the bed. "What's the matter?"

Mr. Tiny sighed. "That didn't last long."

"He smelled something coming from the passenger car and freaked," Harkat said.

"It was probably some old lady with a cat," Mr. Tiny grumbled.

I snarled and yowled trying to make them understand. I crawled out and lightly bit Harkats arm where his stitches had been replaced. I yowled again and stared at him with wide eyes. Please, please get it.

Harkat got it. His face went white as a sheet and then very, very green.

Mr. Tiny lifted me up in his two hands. He looked furious but luckily it was steered at something else. "How could they find us?" He muttered angrily. He ran a hand along my neck, probably searching for another tracker. Finding nothing he set me down on his lap and ran his fingers along my tail, sides legs and stomach. All of a sudden he flipped me over and rested his thumb on one of my ribs. "Aha." He numbed the area and his finger glowed red. A small metal disc shot out from my skin and the area healed instantly. Between his forefinger and thumb he crushed the stupid thing. "All clean," he said and did the same with Harkat, also turning up one behind his left ear.

"Shadow I know you are terrified and I am too but this is a chance to get some more payback," Harkat said.

I stared at him, tail whipping from side to side. Finally I nudged the strap that tied the harness closed against Mr. Tinys leg. Mr Tiny obliged and I stretched, snapping my jaws closed with a loud click. I led the other two back up our car and into the dessert one. I sniffed again with my eyes closed. It seemed that Harrison had bought up one entire car for his minions. I fluffed up my feathers and barreled headfirst into the door. It crumpled under me and Harkat came right behind shouting a war cry.

The men seemed to have been expecting us and though they didn't have guns, stun batons sparked into life all over the train car.

I zipped from man to man, knocking feet out from under people and biting exposed skin.

Mr. Tiny was standing at the entrance, watching and doing absolutely nothing as Harkat and I came dangerously close to being shocked repeatedly.

When Harkat was about to be grabbed my little dragon body flowed back into a human one and I grabbed the man, yanking him backwards and tossing him into a wall. I was only human long enough to notice my appalling lack of clothes before I twisted back into a tiny dragon and attacked someone else. I bounced all over the cabin sometimes boy sometimes dragon and together Harkat and I fought. Until I swapped to human form and a prod hit me right in the ribs. It sparked and I went down howling and twitching. I struggled to go back to dragon form and the prod hit me in the armpit. I rolled over onto my back and crawled up the train car isle, the man advancing on me with a leering grin. The prod hit me again and again, foot, leg, ribs again and back. Then over the wild sounds of Harkat shouting and the men laughing came a soft voice that was still easily heard.

"Enough."

I panted and groaned with effort but I made it back to dragon form and crawled under a seat.

Mr. Tiny snapped his fingers. All of Harrisons men were thrown against the wall and they were pulled onto the ceiling where they stayed stuck. His eyes were glowing crimson red along with his hands and he snapped his fingers a second time. Every single cattle prod in the room floated higher and higher and rotated until they pointed at the men. There was a moment's pause and then the prods drove home, embedding themselves into their chests. The third snap made all the men vanish leaving holes in the ceiling. Only then did his hands and eyes return to normal.

The harness appeared on me and I was pulled out from under the seat and into Mr. Tinys grasp. I was still twitching and electrical burns decorated me but Mr. Tiny soothed the wounds by running a glowing finger over each of them. "You aren't strong enough to take them on," he said to me and pulled Harkat up. Before I could growl a protest he shushed me. "If you had used any magic besides shifting back and forth like a pinball those men would have been obliterated. Why didn't you?" He left me to think about that and carried me back to our car, waving his hand at the last second to seal the holes. Nobody in the dessert car seemed to have noticed the giant fight.

I was thinking more about how I was going to sue Mr. Tiny for not including my clothes when I changed back and forth. But before I could bite him I completely forgot why I was going to because the dragon form took over completely.

Harkat slumped on his bed and rubbed his face. "We were idiots for charging in like that."

"Yes you were," Mr. Tiny said blandly. "If they had come with guns? Nets? Explosives? They were merely cannon fodder to draw you in." He patted me on the head like I was a toddler.

I sank my fangs into his hand and wriggled under the blankets sullenly. I knew I was angry at Mr. Tiny for something but I couldn't quite remember the details of it. I missed the farm, Bea and the kittens so much my heart ached. Were the swords truly worth it? I could live with Pandora and be at peace. The fear that constantly accompanied me in human form was like a suffocating cloud as a dragon.

I jumped when Mr. Tiny stuck his bare, webbed feet under the blankets and shot out. There was no way I was sleeping next to them! But before I could leap off the bed completely he grabbed me.

"Cease your infernal biting," he reprimanded me when I snapped at his fingers. "Go to bed." He stuck me half in his armpit and pulled the blankets over us.

Harkat laid down on the other bed and rolled over to face the wall. His closed off expression meant he was probably going to spend a long time thinking over what had happened before he got any sleep.

I would have been awake all night thinking too, but being a dragon meant things were muddled. So, with all hope of escaping the fate of sleeping in an armpit I curled up and closed my eyes, trying to sleep. It didn't escape me that Mr. Tiny wasn't even trying to fake it. He was just staring at the ceiling. The only upside was that Mr. Tiny was naturally really warm and his body heat was half comforting Eventually the rocking of the train lulled me into sleep.


End file.
